No More Forgiveness
by The Masked Otaku
Summary: Tired of an absent father, Gohan reaches his breaking point when Goku leaves his family to train with Uub. Gohan's clear that he never wants to see his father again but what happens when Goku comes back for a visit? How will everyone deal with this issue?
1. Prologue

Hello everyone. The Masked Otaku here. I am back after many years of hiatus (school can do that to ya) and I just want to say that I hope you all enjoy this story. I've had the premise for this one in my head for quite some time now but I've never sat myself down and typed away… until now!

So basically this takes place right after the ending of Dragonball Z. The prologue below connects Dragonball Z to my story so I hope that will eliminate any confusion.

'No More Forgiveness' is about Gohan reaching his breaking point with his father. It centers on the notion that Goku wasn't really there for his son (well both of them actually) because half the time he was somewhere else… by choice. Gohan realizes that he doesn't want that life anymore, especially for his children, and decides that he wants nothing to do with his father. The story will bring up a lot of things from the past and create uncomfortable situations for many characters. While this fic will mainly explore the relationship between Gohan and Goku it will also explore other relationships that will enhance the main story line. I don't want to say anymore because I want everyone to be surprised. Plus I've already dropped you guys a hint ;)

I have only written the prologue so far so we will see how this unravels. I can tell you I already know how it is going to end, its just getting there that's the hard part. I am going to try to fit a lot of different genre's into this to make it feel more real but the main genre will be angst and drama. And PLEASE review. I'm trying to grow as a writer so any input is welcome.

One last thing, because I got so caught up with other things I will not be writing an alternative ending like I had originally said I would to my fic 'Gohan's Breakdown'. I'm not writing it because I realize that my writing style has changed it would probably just sound weird. If you want to know what I had planned on doing for an alternative ending just ask me and if enough people ask I may post a quick thing up. Now enough of me talking, on with the fic!!!

* * *

**~Prologue~**

May 7th, 784 A.D.

It was the day everything changed.

It was the 28th Tenkaichi Budokai and the sounds of fans cheering on the fighters filled the air. It was meant to be a joyous occasion filled with friendly competition and celebration of 'the world's savior,' Mr. Satan. But for one person the good times were about to come crumbling down upon him.

Son Gohan had been sitting in between his wife and mother when he saw his father fly up to them in the VIP bleachers. Even though he knew what his father was going to say, since he had overheard his conversation with the young fighter named Uub, he was still not prepared for it.

Once his father was right in front of him, he gave everyone 'that' smirk, the same smirk he gave Gohan before he disappeared with Cell. Gohan knew what was about to happen. His father was going to take off, leaving him to take care of his mother and brother, and pick up the emotional pieces… AGAIN!

Much like his previous goodbye's this one was short and to the point. Goku told everyone that he was leaving, right then and there, to live and train with this complete stranger.

After his short speech the Goku waved goodbye and swooped down to the arena to say goodbye to the rest.

Gohan would never forget what he witnessed next. There was his five-year-old daughter, running towards Goku crying, not wanting him to leave. Gohan's eyes widened.

It was like looking his past.

Goku would say something to calm Pan down, she would feel better, he would leave, and, after about a month or so, would come the loneliness. It seemed so routine… just like his childhood.

The déjà vu episode had stunned Gohan so much that before he knew it his father was flying off with Uub on his back. As they faded into the distance Chi-Chi crumbled into her seat distraught from the news that her husband was leaving, and with Goku who knew when he'd be back. The young demi-saiyan, filled with a mix of emotions, put them on hold and focused his energy on comforting his mother. As he and Videl helped Chi-Chi calm down he overheard his old mentor behind him "Ha… I have not seen Goku smile like that for a long time."

For a second Gohan shut his eyes and took a deep breath to help himself maintain control. It was that smile that he hoped he would never have to see again. For Gohan that smile meant a distraught mother, a sad daughter, a brother who is probably beyond confused, and memories of a past he wanted to forget.

After it was clear to the staff and audience that Goku and Uub were not coming back, the tournament continued. While some were in shock about what just happened, many quickly forgot about it because, after all, stranger things have happened at these tournaments before.

So as the fights resumed, Gohan and Videl continued to comfort Chi-Chi. Both still found time to cheer just like everyone else in the gang, who altogether, seemed rather unfazed by the events that just took place. But Gohan's cheering was just a mask for what he was really feeling.

It was after Videl and Gohan got Chi-Chi to calm down that Videl started to pick up that something was wrong with her husband. Gohan and her shared a special bond and she could always tell how he was feeling, but this time he was hiding his emotions well. She even questioned her intuition. "Maybe its just all the excitement," she told herself, but the thought that something was not right still lingered. This feeling made her very uncomfortable but, like her husband, she was very good at hiding emotions when she wanted.

As the evening drew the Tournament began to wind down. The end result was Mr. Satan in first place followed by Buu, Vegeta, and then Trunks. Pan had put up quite a fight but after seeing her beat Goten, Trunks knew not to make the same mistake as his friend and therefore didn't go easy on her. Everyone had performed well, and when all was said and done there quite a pile of torn and sweat stained gi's.

Before they knew it, the Z gang was making their way to the capsule corp plane to go back home. As they walked they were alive with congratulations and stories of the days happenings.

"Mommy! Daddy! Look! Look!" Pan screamed as she held out her certificate showing her place in the 28th Tenkaichi Budokai.

"Wow Pan that's great!" Videl said picking her daughter up.

"We're so proud of you Pan-Chan." Gohan reiterated as he ruffled his daughters hair.

"So Goten how's your cheek?" Trunks teased his friend, pointing at the red mark caused by Pan during their match.

Goten just grumbled underneath his breath as he rubbed his swollen cheek.

Everyone laughed and continued to talk about the tournament. The mood was rather joyous and carefree until the inevitable came up…

"Man you guys really wrecked that stage though." Yamcha commented.

"Well in all fairness it was Goku who did the most damage." Krillin retorted.

It was the mere mention of his name that caused Gohan's mood to change even more. This time it was clear for Videl. While he wasn't showing it on the outside, within he was clearly upset. Still, he masked it very well; he didn't want to upset the others.

But Videl could sense a change in him, and she wasn't the only one. When Goku's name was mentioned Piccolo noticed a change in Gohan's ki. It wasn't an increase or decrease, but a change. He knew Gohan was sensitive by nature and that it would only be natural for him to be a little upset but this feeling was different… very different.

Bulma sighed and looked up to the sky "I can't believe Goku just left right in the middle of the tournament."

"Haha well that's Goku for you always in the pursuit of training and getting stronger." Krillin said trying to make the situation easier.

Gohan looked down for Pan's reaction but luckily she had fallen asleep in Videl's arms. He then looked at his wife who was already looking at him and he immediately put on a fake smile, but she wasn't fooled.

The conversation continued onto the plane and as they flew home together everyone just brushed off Goku's exit as 'typical Goku'.

For Gohan, however, this was the last straw.


	2. Chapter 1: The Ride Home

A/N: Well I first want to thank everyone for all the reviews. Again constructive critism is always welcome. I need to know what readers are looking for and if anything is missing in my work (i.e. imagery, better flow, etc). Also I would like to note that this chapter uses some Japanese words… well word. 'Hai' in Japanese means 'Yes'. I will often replace words with Japanese words if I think it will sound better and get the point across. Anytime I do use Japanese words I will explain what they mean before hand just incase anyone doesn't know. Well I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please review and check out some of my previous work ^-^

**Chapter 1: The Ride Home**

The tournament was over… and so was Gohan's relationship with his father.

The Brief family had to drop everyone off before they could head home and that meant stopping at Kame House followed by the Son house. Piccolo had expressed that he wanted to be dropped of with Gohan and his family because he wanted to spend some time in the wilderness out there where he used to train. In reality he wanted to keep an eye on his former protégé.

The giant aircraft rushed through the air as the sun was setting behind them and various islands passed beneath them. The plane had a relaxed atmosphere (with some exceptions) as everyone was talking about the fights at the tournament.

Soon enough the first stop was made and Bulma dropped off Yamcha, Master Roshi, and Krillin and his family, at the Kame House before heading to the Son residence.

"Good job on the tournament you guys!" Krillin said stepping out of the plane with his family. While he was talking mainly to Goten and Trunk his comments were directed towards everyone who participated that day. "You guys go home and get some rest."

"It looks like Pan and Bra are already ahead of you." Yamcha said pointing towards the two chibi's who were in the back seat resting against each other.

"Haha yea it's been a busy day for those two." Goten commented.

"Particularly Pan." Trunks followed.

Gohan had to fight back some more emotions.

He looked at his sleeping daughter and saw two images. One was of a strong young girl capable of defending herself while the other was of an innocent child, still naïve to the world and ignorant of it's cruelties. All he wanted to do was protect her… protect her from all the bad people out there. People like his father.

He snapped back to reality when Videl responded to Trunks. "Yea she has had quite a day."

Gohan just responded with a smile as he looked down at his daughter.

"Well I guess we will see you guys around." Krillin said and then in a laughing manner added "I guess who knows when we will see Goku next."

Time stood still for a moment.

Everyone had very different reactions to that statement, but overall it was laughed off because 'That's just Goku.'

Despite the fact that he wasn't showing it, Videl and Piccolo could feel how angry Gohan was. As if the mix of emotions among everyone was not uncomfortable enough, Videl also had to deal with her husband who was hiding something deep.

She had been looking at Gohan when she noticed Piccolo, who was in the back, looking at him as well. The Namekian's face was serious. He briefly looked at her and then looked back at Gohan. If anything this made Videl even more anxious because she now knew for certain what she was feeling was not just her, Piccolo could tell the difference as well.

Fortunately, nobody but Videl noticed how tense Piccolo had looked.

"Goodbye" Krillin and his family waved as the plane started to ascend into the air.

"Goodbye." Trunks and Goten responded while waving their arms profusely in the air. Everyone else simply waved through the transparency of the window.

As soon as the plane reached the desired height it took off with amazing speed creating a small gust of wind on the small island. The plane soon disappeared towards the night sky.

"Well I better get home too." Yamcha sighed as he was getting into his shiny convertible hover-car.

"Alright Yamcha. Have a good night." Krillin waved as his friend lifted into the air and took off with amazing speed.

As everyone else headed inside Marron had remembered what her father just said.

"Daddy when WILL Uncle Goku be back?" She asked.

"I don't know honey." Her father replied and then looked up at the sky. "But I haven't seen him this excited in a long time." Krillin then looked back down at his daughter, placed his hand on her head and smiled. "I'm sure he'll visit soon though."

* * *

Back on the plane everyone was relatively quiet so as not to disturb Pan and Bra who were still sleeping. Some conversation, however, was taking place.

"So Goten are you ready for school next week?" Trunks asked leaning back in his seat.

"Yea I guess. I still need to work on my report." Goten said without too much enthusiasm. He then turned around in his seat to face his brother. "Oh yea Gohan did you tell Videl that Trunks and I both have the same teacher that you guys had when you started Orange Star High?"

Gohan who had been looking down at his daughter the entire time broke out of his trance.

"Huh?" He asked.

Videl butted in "No, he didn't tell me that you guys have the same teacher we had when we first started going to Orange Star High. Is he still considered one of the strictest teachers there?"

Trunks laughed as Goten slunk down in his chair.

"…Yea and he's particularly strict on me." Goten sighed.

"Ha ha. That's because you always day dream and don't do your work." Trunks said laughing even harder.

Goten slunk even deeper into his chair.

"That's because his class is so boring and his work is so hard. Usually I would just train with dad hoping that would help me focus but we always ended up training late."

"GOTEN!" Chi-Chi's voice boomed throughout the plane waking up Bra and Pan. "YOU'VE BEEN SLACKING ON YOUR HOMEWORK!!!"

Goten cringed. He had forgotten his mother was listening.

"It's not that bad mom! It's just… High School is new and training with dad made me relax." He said as he cowered in front of his looming mother.

Chi-Chi continued to glare at him with her hands on her hips.

"I promise I'll study harder." He continued

"You better Goten!" Chi-Chi said as she sat back down. "No more training until all of your school work is done."

"OK mom." Goten responded gaining some composure now that he wasn't getting his mother's evil glare.

Then it just came out of his mouth. Without even thinking Goten just sat back upright in his chair, folded his arms, and mumbled "Well now I don't even have anyone to train with anymore."

The entire Son family looked up at Goten who looked at his mother when he had realized what he said. Chi-Chi just faced forward with a disgruntled look.

"I didn't mean-" Goten tried to apologize but was cut off by Gohan putting his hand on his brothers shoulder, with a look telling him to not say anything. This was the first time that anyone on the plane had really realized how Chi-Chi truly felt about this. Her emotions were no longer hidden on the issue.

The rest of the plane ride was held in awkward silence. Pan had tried to inquire about when her grandfather was coming back but was quickly hushed by Videl. At one point Chi-Chi had to turn away because a tear went down her cheek. She knew Goku was like this but she missed just having time with him. After all, so much of it had been taken from her in the past two decades.

Gohan felt his mother pain. It was getting harder and harder for him to maintain control. Normally his power level would be sky rocketing because of anger like this but he had to keep his cool; he didn't want to cause a scene (especially in front of his daughter).

The air was rather tense until plane finally descended upon the front yard of the Son residence.

Gohan looked out his window at his current house, and then at his former house. So many memories had been attached to his first home and yet most of those memories didn't include his father. He pondered to himself if that old house would ever see Goku again.

The sounds of the engine began to fade as Goten sat up and stretched.

They had landed.

Chi-Chi exited followed by her youngest son and Piccolo. Then Videl, along with Gohan who was holding Pan, exited the aircraft.

"Goodbye." Bulma waved, trying to ignore the tension that had been in the aircraft.

Trunks gave a slight smile and then waved.

"See you in school Goten."

"Bye!" Goten shouted as the plane started to ascend.

Everyone, except Piccolo and Gohan (because he was holding Pan) waved goodbye as the capsule corp plane took off into the direction of the Briefs' home.

Chi-Chi turned to Gohan. "Well I will get dinner ready for all of us. You three come over when your all washed up."

She then turned to her youngest son. "Goten, will you get some firewood while I start preparing the meal?"

Goten looked at his mom and smiled. "Hai." He responded. It looks like as if she had gotten over his comment on the plane.

She smiled back at her son and then walked towards the house.

"See you guys in a bit." Goten said to Gohan and his family

"Alright. We'll be over shortly." Gohan responded to his younger brother.

Then Goten took off running to the back of the house to get some firewood.

"Well we better get ready for dinner huh Pan-chan." Videl said with a smile.

Pan immediately perked up.

"Hai." She replied and jumped down from her father's arms.

"Haha." Videl giggled. All right, I'll get you some new cloths while you take a bath. Then she went inside.

Gohan and Pan were right behind her but before going in Pan stopped.

"What is it sweety?" Gohan asked looking down at his daughter, and then to the horizon where Pan was looking.

The sun was almost completely set and the sky was decorated with pink, orange, and purple colors as night began to fall.

"Grandpa would always watch the sunset with me before dinner. When do you think he'll come back?"

Gohan's face turned serious, but it went unnoticed.

"I don't know Pan… why don't you hurry up inside and get a ready for supper. We don't want to keep grandma waiting."

"OK!" Pan said in a cheerful voice as she smiled at her father and then quickly skipped inside.

Gohan stood outside his house for a second before he followed Pan in. At the door he took one last look at the sun, watching as the last remnants of it disappeared. He knew that Pan would never watch the sunset with his father ever again… as long as he had something to say about it!


	3. Chapter 2: Out with the old memories

A/N: Hello everyone, I hope you are all well. I want to thank everyone for their reviews and do a special shout out to loganist who gave me some advice on my writing. I actually tried to incorporate some of that advice into this chapter (although I am still far from perfect). But anymore advice/pointers/whatever from anyone, are more than welcome.

One thing I want to note about this chapter is that when Videl talks about differences in Gohan what she is referring to is not only how he is acting but also his physical appearance. I will bring this up hopefully in the next chapter. And for those of you who don't know Tousan in Japanese means 'Dad' or 'Father'. Enjoy!

**Chapter 2: Out with the old (memories)**

Everything had changed.

It was raining, and Videl was watching her husband from a window on the second floor of her house. The garbage man was there and Gohan had one last bag for him. She watched as her husband trotted down their walkway, covering himself with his jacket. The thunderstorm outside was growing but Videl wasn't focused on that. Instead she was focused on the small black bag that he was carrying. It was the same bag she had seen earlier that morning.

When Gohan reached the truck he handed the bag to the garbage man who tossed it in with the rest of the trash.

It was that simple.

Seeing the bag disappear amongst the other garbage was too much for her. She looked away from the window, almost in pain. Everything really had changed.

As she heard the truck go off into the distance she went over to the bed Gohan and her shared. Anxiously she sat down, and tried to think about how she was going to approach her husband. Clearly Gohan was suffering but he hadn't directly expressed any emotion over it.

Videl had been going over and over in her head what she wanted to say. The most important thing she wanted her husband to know was that she was there for him. She did not want him to suffer alone.

Since the end of the tournament less than a week ago, he had been acting differently, but would not talk about it. She wanted to confront him, but in the end kept putting it off because either the timing wasn't right or she simply couldn't get the words out. However it was when she saw him throw away that bag that she knew she had waited long enough. Videl knew she wasn't going to get another chance like this. With Pan over at Bra's, now was the opportune time to confront Gohan.

* * *

By the time Gohan had opened the door, Videl had made her way downstairs.

"Gohan, we need to talk." She said with a serious face.

Gohan closed the front door behind him, muffling the sound of the intense rainfall outside.

"Talk about what?" He was trying to ignore the tone Videl had just taken with him.

"I know what was in the bag. I know how you have been feeling." She responded.

He no longer tried to hide it. Gohan looked his wife directly in the eyes and with a weak voice asked "…And?"

"And Gohan this is serious. What's going on!?" Videl cried. She was upset and scared.

They stood in silence for a moment… "I'm done with him." The demi-saiyan replied, trying to hold back a wave of emotions. "I don't want to have anything to do with him anymore. He has hurt me more times than I can remember by not being there for me, and this time I won't brush it off. I won't ignore it like everyone else." His voice was beginning to break and he turned his head, trying not to cry.

Videl's expression changed to sorrow. She was truly worried about him.

"Gohan, why haven't you talked with me about this? Why have you been keeping this all in?"

Gohan kept his face turned and shut his eyes. Tears were starting to make there way down his cheek.

"I… I didn't want to get you involved."

"I'm your wife, I'm supposed to be involved. Besides what are you expecting to happen when he comes back?" She asked.

"If he comes." Gohan mumbled.

"What?"

Videl had not heard him.

Gohan opened his eyes and turned to his wife, tears streaming down his face.

"I said if he comes back!" He yelled, startling her. He did not mean to scare her but he was finally letting out his emotions.

"I can't tell you how many times I asked myself 'when he was coming back', when I was first training with Piccolo. I was a scared four-year-old boy and he left me. Then I asked the same thing when we all found out he was alive after the battle with Frieza. I continued to ask that again and again every time he was gone. Now I don't care! He could be back tomorrow, or he could be back 10 years from now. All I know is that I do not want him hurting me, or my family, ever again. If he 'ever' comes back he is to stay as far away from us as possible."

Gohan's ki was rapidly accelerating because of his emotions. He was angry… angry about his father… and angry about his past. But more than anything, he was hurt.

"Are you really going to cut him out of your life like that? I know he has hurt you, and that is why you need to talk to him about it." Videl said trying to calm him down.

The young demi-saiyan let out a small laugh. "You think he would listen! All he has ever cared about is fighting. I've given him enough chances to redeem himself and now I've had enough."

Gohan's energy had reached a point to where it caught the attention of his brother in the adjacent house.

Goten had been studying when he felt the sharp increase in his brothers. Without hesitation he dropped his pencil and ran out the door.

Chi-Chi, who was making dinner, witnessed her son go off at amazing speed, into the harsh rain.

"Goten!" She shouted, but her voice did not reach him. She rushed to the doorway and saw that he was heading towards Gohan's house. Worried, she followed suit.

Goten barged into his brother's house where he saw his brother in tears and his sister-in-law in a disheveled state.

"What's going on?" The teenager asked with concern. "Gohan I felt your ki, what's wrong?"

Gohan turned away from his brother to hide his tears. Confused, Goten then looked at Videl for answers.

"Gohan." She said in a soothing voice as she approached her husband. "It's OK to talk about it." She then placed her hands on his shoulders. "I'm sure your not the only one who is upset." Videl then looked at Goten, who in turn, became even more confused.

He to a few steps toward them.

"Ni-chan what's going on? What are you upset over?"

Videl looked at her husband as if to reassure him that he needed to speak up.

"…Tousan." Gohan finally replied.

Just then, Chi-Chi had entered the house. She was soaked from the rain and out of breath from the run she just had.

"Goten," She said as she tried to catch her breath. "What are you doing? What's going on?"

Gohan looked up at his brother and mother.

"I can't forgive him this time." The tears had stopped and his tone was soft but serious. "I'm done with him. I put everything in a bag and threw it away."

* * *

"Gohan, do you need any help with anything?" Videl asked as she stood in the doorway with her nightgown still on. It was 5:00 am and her husband had woken up and started to rummage through things in the other room.

"No, I'm just going through some old things before the garbage man gets here today. I've always said we could use a little bit more space." He said as he gave her a weak smile.

Videl yawned and stretched as she started to turn back towards their bed. "OK hon. *Another yawn* Just let me know if you need anything."

"OK." He replied and continued his rummaging.

Videl had started to close the door but left it ajar, leaving a small sliver of light coming in on her end.

She had meant to go straight back to bed but something caught her eye in that small sliver of light. Quietly she peered into the room through the small crack. Her eyes widened. She now knew why Gohan had gotten up so early to get collect trash. There, in the dim light, was her husband holding up his orange and blue gi from when he fought Buu.

The demi-saiyan was looking over his old uniform. It had been mended after the fight, so many years ago, and looked as good as new. He felt the fabric and closed his eyes as he reminisced of when he first got it from Kibito.

He had wanted an outfit just like his dad's before heading off to fight Buu. He wanted to be just like his father and make him proud.

But that was then.

Now Gohan couldn't stand the thought of his father. The gi he was holding in his hands stood for a time when he trusted someone whom he loved, someone who just ended up causing pain.

A tear had formed in his eye and it slowly made its way down his cheek. The droplet reached the end of his chin and dropped, leaving a small mark on the gi.

Instantly, Gohan ripped the gi at its seams in an angry burst.

Videl let out an inaudible gasp.

To Gohan that gi stood for a symbol of pain. He wanted nothing to do with his father anymore.

He stuffed the ruined clothing into the bag as he continued to rummage through the drawer.

It wasn't long before he came across what he was looking for; a photo album.

As he flipped through the pages, Videl could barely make out the pictures.

Gohan eventually stopped at one page and took out a photo. The picture had been taken during the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai tournament, when Goku had come back after seven years of absence. It was the first picture of them together after the Cell Games.

Videl caught a glimpse of the photo as he held it in front of himself. A glimpse is all she needed though, because she knew that picture well, after all she had taken it.

After a brief pause, Gohan crumbled up the picture in his hand and placed in the bag with his gi.

He then proceeded to take out every picture with Goku in the entire album and throw it in the bag. The more pictures he took out the more angry and violent he got towards them, until he tossed the last photo, and sat their heaving from the emotional exhaustion.

Videl could no longer bear to look. She had been too scared to go in and be with Gohan. Instead she just went back to bed, while her husband cleared the house of anything that reminded him of his father.

Even though, at that moment, all logic was telling her to go to him, she just lied there in bed, frozen. She was in shock.

All of a sudden, she heard a noise outside that caused her to get out of her trance. She turned her head and looked up at the water drop that had just landed against the window.

It was starting to rain.


	4. Chapter 3: A Family Issue

A/N: Konnichiwa everyone. I'm glad that you guys are enjoying my fanfic. I do apologize for posting this one up rather late but this was a rather difficult chapter to write. I can't tell you how many times I got writers block :( Add to that I wanted to make sure that I wrote this chapter in a way that would leave me to do the other things I want to do later in the story. Again, I know the key points, and the end, but its getting there that's the hard part. Anyways I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I will try to get another one up when I can but that may be awhile as well because I have exams and Spring Break coming up. As always please read and review and check out some of my other works :)

Japanese words:

Ni-chan=Brother, Oka-san/Ka-san=Mother, Tou-san=Father, Nani=What

**Chapter 3: A Family Issue**

After Chi-Chi and Goten had interrupted Gohan and Videl's conversation there was some brief discussion on the topic. However, it was soon decided it would be best to move the conversation to the Son House where dinner was being prepared.

In no time at all Chi-Chi finished making dinner and soon they were all at the table with a nice warm meal in front of them. Before sitting down herself, Chi-Chi cracked a window to let some heat out from the kitchen. The pitter-patter of the rain outside filled the room as they ate their meal in silence. Nobody quite knew what say given the sensitivity of the topic.

Eventually it was Gohan broke the silence.

"He's made his choice. Now he will have to live the consequences." He said staring at his cup of water. He remained fixated on it, fearing that if he faced his mother he would see hurt in her eyes.

"I'm sorry if any one objects to this but I'm done with him." He continued.

Goten looked to his mother, who was silent and then turned to his older brother.

"Gohan, this is Tou-san we are talking about here. Don't you think this is a little extreme?" He asked, but in a non-judgmental way.

Gohan looked up at his brother.

"Goten look at what he does to this family. He left us for seven years, leaving Oka-san with two children to take care of. Then he comes back, and expects everything to be OK, only to leave again. This would be fine if he was on his own, but he has a family. His actions are unacceptable and I've had enough. When he left with Uub to train he sent a clear message that he is unwilling to change and unwilling to take on any responsibility. Some of our friends may be used to this but I'm still not and Pan certainly isn't. Seeing my daughter cry like that was too much for me. I won't let him hurt my family like he hurt me. I won't let Pan suffer like I did."

Chi-Chi, who had been focusing only on her dinner because she was in deep thought, looked up at her son when he said this.

She had never known Gohan felt this way, and that word… 'suffer', he had never used that word in context to his father's absence. Even though she never knew how her son felt, deep down inside she always wondered how his father's absence had affected him and his younger brother. Now that it was finally being discussed, some of her worst fears were coming true.

"Gohan…" Chi-Chi said in a soft voice. "I'm sorry… I didn't know that you felt this way. Both of you, I am so sorry." She the turned to Goten to show him that she understood if he was upset too. She did not want him to hide his emotion.

"Ka-san, you don't need to apologize. Its h-" Gohan tried to respond but was cut off by his mother.

"Yes, I do. You see, I have always known your father was like this. When we were younger he was always off on some adventure or dedicated to his training. He hardly stayed in one place very long. But this was something that attracted me to him. When we got married, I thought that he would settle down. It then became so confusing after your uncle arrived. Things seemed to of spiral out of control after that." Chi-Chi's voice was beginning to break. She realized that Gohan's life had been a very hard one, and that Goten's had not been too much easier. Everything that had happened to her family had been so unfair.

Videl, who was sitting next to her, placed her hand on her mother-in-law's hand.

"Chi-Chi from what Gohan has told me, you did the best you could. I honestly think that any other person would have crumbled under everything that was going on. You shouldn't beat yourself up, but rather be proud of yourself. In times of great strife and turmoil you managed to stay strong and be there for your family. You were, and still are, a great mom."

Chi-Chi looked at Videl and smiled. She turned her hand so that she was firmly grasping Videl's. These words helped to lift her from the undeserved guilt she was feeling. It was clear that she was very thankful for the support and comfort her daughter-in-law provided.

"Besides," Gohan spoke. "Nothing was your fault Ka-san. During my childhood, and Goten's as well, we all made choices. Like our friends, I made a choice to fight in the battles that I did because I wanted to protect others. All I have ever wanted was peace and to be with my family. It was Goku who made the choice to continue fighting, even after the battle was won, and ignore his family."

Everyone looked at Gohan. It was the first time ever he had referred to his father by his name.

There was a moment of silence.

"Ni-chan," Goten said trying to cut the tension. "I am upset too. However, I think we should talk to him about this." He was careful to avoid the word Tou-san given his brothers usage of the word Goku.

Videl looked at her husband. When she asked this, he became very emotional, and she was worried about how he was going to respond this time.

Gohan took a deep sigh and asked, "Do you really think he'd listen? Ka-san said it herself 'This is the way he is'. I'm not even going to give him the chance to make some type of promise, because I know he will break it. He's had his chances in the past. Besides this isn't just about me, this is about my family." He looked at Videl when he said this and then faced back to everyone. His voice took a very serious tone and he added, "I will do what I must to protect Pan."

More silence.

While everyone was thinking about what to say next, and how to further handle this situation, lighting filled the room as thunder clashed outside. The storm was getting more intense as the wind began to pick up.

A few drops of rain had made their way through the open window and landed on the back of Gohan's neck

The demi-saiyan let out a slight smile and turned slightly towards the window so his voice was clearer.

"The storm's getting pretty bad and we are about to close the window. You should come inside Piccolo."

Everyone looked up confused and then looked outside the window.

Through the pouring rain Goten could just barely make out a figure perched in a tree about 40 meters away. As it descended and came closer, the figure proved to be the Namekian.

* * *

Piccolo had been in the nearby area when he felt Gohan's ki accelerate about 20 minutes ago. By the time he had arrived everyone was sitting down at the dinner table in the Son house. Rather than disturb them he decided to listen in.

When Gohan acknowledged his presence Piccolo jerked upright. He had thought he had been suppressing his ki enough but obviously his former student had noticed.

* * *

By the time Gohan closed the window, Piccolo walked through the front door.

"Piccolo-san." Goten said in a greeting manner.

Piccolo ignored the younger demi-sayain and faced Gohan.

It didn't take long for Gohan to figure out that Piccolo had been in the area since he had gotten off the plane with them after the Tenkaichi Budokai. When his ki had risen during his conversation with Videl it had only reached a point to where not everybody would have noticed, only those close by.

A million things were going through both their minds as they tried to figure out what the other knew. Eventually Piccolo just said what he truly felt.

"I'm sorry Gohan."

"Me too." The demi-sayain responded.

"Gohan." Chi-Chi stood up. "It doesn't have to be this way. You have every right to be mad but I don't want to see this happen. I know your father is a good man. Please, when he comes back talk to him." A few tears started to make their way down her cheek as she clutched her napkin ready to catch them.

Gohan turned to his mother. Seeing her cry was incredibly hard for him. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. He looked down at the floor and closed his eyes as he started to cry too.

"I'm sorry… I just don't think I can. I… I…"

"Ni-chan!" Goten shouted, causing his brother to look his way. He was also beginning to cry. Emotions were certainly running high at this point in the conversation and it was taking its toll on everyone.

"I'm angry too. He should be here. It's not right that he just left us. But I remember how you used to tell me stories of him when I was young. You would tell me all about the adventures you guys had and how great of a person he was. These stories made me wish I knew who he was. When he came back I no longer had to rely on them for comfort. Instead I got something that I have cherished everyday since then. I may be angry right now but I do not want him to be absent from my life forever. I know deep down inside you feel the same way."

Gohan was silent. He was deeply torn on what to do. Both Videl and Piccolo felt this internal strife within him.

"You can't let this eat you up Gohan." Piccolo commented.

"He's right." Videl added as she stood by her husband's side. "If you won't do this for you, do it for your family."

As more tears came down Gohan's face he slowly nodded. This agreement gave the Son family some relief.

Videl gave him a hug as he continued to cry softly on her shoulder. However, he soon collected himself and faced his wife.

"But there is something I need to do." He then turned to Piccolo. "I need you to train me."

"Nani!" was everyone's reactions.

"I need to prove to him that he doesn't need to constantly search for someone who will take care of the Earth. I need to show him that there are people right here who can, and will, protect this planet. I also need him to realize that training does not mean he has to abandon his family."

Piccolo looked into his former pupil's eyes. The intensity of them showed his commitment to this goal and the Namekian understood why. His personality was good-natured and pure, but concentrated when it needed to be. It was the sayain-human hybrid in him that made Gohan this way, just like Trunk and Goten. This was something he felt he needed to do this for himself, and his family.

Piccolo let out a small smirk.

"Agreed."


	5. Chapter 4: Videl's Reflections

A/N: Wow it's been a long time since I have updated. First let me just apologize for that fact but in all fairness I have been pretty busy since Spring Break ended. Taking 18 credits in school can do that to you. Also inspiration needs to hit me in order to write. Just so everyone knows I will try my best to update regularly but between summer school and helping my parents around the house since they are trying to sell their house (sigh, selling the house I was born and raised in *tear*) I may not be able to update as regularly as I might like. In all though I will try my best :)

Anyways I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I worked really hard on it, often rewriting passages 4 times to get what I wanted to say across. Also let me point out that this chapter includes some clues as to what will be coming up in future chapters. Please note, however, if you figure one of these things out I sincerely ask that you do NOT write it in the review section and possibly spoil anything for the other readers. If you must say what you think write me a message with the new app on , but keep in mind I will neither confirm nor deny what you say but I will respond in someway.

All that being said I hope all is well with everyone and I hope you enjoy this chapter which was originally going to be twice as long but I decided to make the second part the next chapter to keep the chapters relatively consistent in length. One last thing, I noticed that in the reviews there was some confusion as to Gohan's intentions for training and I answered that in this chapter. Enjoy and please R&R!

**Chapter 4: Videl's Reflections**

"Blehhhhhh."

It was 7 in the morning and Videl had her head in the toilet… again.

"Ugh, what's wrong me?" She questioned as she flushed down her sick.

Videl slowly sat up, wiping her mouth. After a quick rinse with mouthwash and washing her hands she slowly walked back to bed with the feeling that she could turn back any second and get well acquainted with the toilet again.

Once at her bed Videl eased herself under the covers and put her arm in the spot where Gohan usually slept.

"The one weekend I get sick Gohan has to be out on a camping trip with his friends." She sighed. "Oh well at least he's going out."

So much had changed since that fateful night 10 months ago when Gohan finally opened up about his feelings. Goku's actions at the tournament had proven to be just too much for the demi-saiyan to handle. As a matter of fact, that is when his personality started to change. He was still the sweet and kind hearted man (well… half man) that she fell in love with, but after the tournament, and even after the talk they had that night, it was clear that he was facing some issues.

While Gohan had a great support system of family and friends, Videl knew that they could only do so much. Even the conversations that he had with Krillin, Yamcha, and the rest (which were rather similar to the one that Videl, Chi-Chi, and Goten had with Gohan the week after the tournament) only helped so much. There was a key-missing ingredient that was lacking… a civil conversation with Goku.

As she lay in bed Videl closed her eyes and thought back to the events that occurred after that rainy night and why she was happy that Gohan was going on this camping trip.

*_Flashback (10 months ago)_*

The storm that had raged on through the night eventually died down giving way to a sunshine filled horizon.

With the morning sunlight hitting her face Videl slowly opened her eyes as she woke up to the smell of the cool country air. The first thing she saw was Gohan sitting up right on the bed looking out at the sunrise with a smile on his face. She noticed how peaceful and calm he looked in comparison to the previous night. She smiled too.

Gohan turned his head towards her.

"Good morning." He said as he leaned down and gave his wife a kiss.

Videl let herself fall into his embrace.

Once he pulled back from the kiss she sat up looking her husband in the eyes.

"Gohan…" was all she could get out but in that one word she was able to communicate the questions that were lingering in her head, "How are you doing? Do you want to talk? What's going to happen now?"

He put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "I'm fine. But I meant everything I said last night and Piccolo and I will start training today while your getting Pan from Capsule Corp."

He then slid his hand up to her cheek.

"I want you to know though that my training will never come in the way of this family. In fact I plan to spend even more time with you and Pan and I want you both to know how much you mean to me."

He held back a tear and then, with a more serious tone, added, "I will not become like my father. I will always be there for the both of you and I will always be there to protect the both of you. I will never abandon either of you."

Videl looked back into her husband's eyes. She didn't know what to say. She knew they both meant the world to each other and that the other knew that. She loved him so much and no matter what, she never wanted to see him so hurt as he had been since the tournament.

Gohan let out a sigh and began to recollect about his past.

"You know I actually have never really enjoyed fighting. Ever since I was young I held off on it until my emotions overtook me and I felt I had to do what was necessary for the safety of my friends. But even then I held back, not wanting to kill anyone no matter how evil they were. Eventually this dilemma caught up with me when I was battling Cell. It was no longer about my friend's safety or even my safety, it was about the safety of everyone in the world, the universe even. While I knew the seriousness of the situation a part of me STILL did not want to resort to violence. I tried my hardest to talk with Cell, to reason with him, but he did not listen. When I refused to fight and get angry he targeted my friends. While this certainly made my anger grow I continued to hold back. I did not want to fight. I did not understand why he wouldn't just leave us alone. To this day I can still picture everyone up on that cliff being beaten, some to near death. I think I did not want to fight because deep down inside I was afraid. I was afraid of what would happen not only if I failed but also what kind of person it would make me if I resorted to violence. It was then #16's head was thrown in front of me. I will never forget what he told me. He said that 'some people will not listen to reason' and to fight these people to protect what is most sacred is justified. He taught me in his last moments of life that it is ok to fight for these things. He taught me not to be afraid. #16 knew he was about to die and all he asked was that I unleash the anger inside of me, that I protect the earth and nature, which he loved. For my entire life up until that moment there had been an internal struggle between my Saiyan side and my human side; one aggressive and one submissive. I could never seem to find balance between the two until that day... until that moment. When Cell came over and destroyed #16, a defenseless android with such a capacity to love life, something in me clicked. What #16 had said changed how I viewed my role as a defender of earth. Because of him I was able to settle my internal struggles, which helped me to ascend to a level beyond what anyone had at that point. I finally reached a balance."

He then took his wife's hands into his own.

"I know that because I am half-Saiyan and half-human I carry a great potential that can now easily tapped into. I know I am capable of fulfilling #16's promise to protect the earth and the ones I care about. And now I need to show that to Goku."

Hearing Gohan say these things was too much for Videl. A million things were rushing through her head but the most pertinent one made it out of her lips.

"Gohan, please tell me you aren't going to fight him!" She was pleading but at the same time authoritative. She did not think that was the appropriate action to take and she let him know it. Still, this question had been in her mind since the night before but she held off from asking it, fearing a 'yes' from him. But after listening to what he had just said, she knew she had to ask it.

Fortunately, the demi-saiyan had more non-violent intentions.

"Videl, no, no." He said trying to calm her down and reassure her. "I just need him to see my power level, to know that I, along with every else, have the capability of protecting the earth. I only want him to understand my determination for maintaining peace."

She let out a sigh of relief. Still trying to find an alternative she asked "I don't understand why you can't just talk to him."

Gohan paused.

"Because he will not listen unless I do this first."

Videl developed a sorrowful gaze and looked down to contemplate everything that was just said.

"Hey." Gohan said lifting her chin up delicately with hand. "Just remember you and Pan come first! I will never let anything interfere with that."

"I know Gohan… I just want _you_ to be OK." She replied.

He leaned into her "As long as I have you and Pan I'm better than OK." He then gave her a deep kiss as he wrapped his arms around her.

As he parted his lips he looked into her eyes.

"I love you Videl."

She could only respond with the thing that she felt most deep in her heart.

"I love you too Gohan."

*****_End Flashback_*

The very next thing to occur was the beginning of the training process; something that continued still.

Just like he said, Gohan had begun training with Piccolo later that day while Videl picked up Pan.

To balance training and his family Gohan found it easiest to schedule his training around his family time, since for him that came first. Because he was dedicated to spending even more time with them than before (which was above average to begin with), finding time to train did not come easy during the day. Thus most of the time spent training was during the night when Gohan would silently leave, fly to a training spot with Piccolo, train, fly back, and get back into bed before everyone woke up.

He also found time to train whenever Videl and Pan were away spending time in the city. However, this option did not occur until several weeks after he started training because when he promised to spend more time with his family he grew more protective of Pan, not wanting her to have a childhood like he had. Eventually, thanks to a talk initiated by Videl, Gohan learned that he didn't need to be around Pan 24/7 and that he needed to give his daughter some space to grow on her own. So gradually he began to become less protective of his daughter and learned that he did not need to shadow her. But even so Gohan continued to spend a great deal of time with all members of his family. Spontaneous trips to the zoo, picnics, and like where more common in the past 10 months then they had ever been. But the reasoning for all of this, and the underlying problem, had stayed constant.

* * *

Videl open her eyes back up and looked at the ceiling. So much really had happened in the past ten months.

This is why this weekend camping trip with friends was so important. Gohan had been so busy with work, training, and spending quality time with his family he never had anytime for himself. While they had several get-togethers with their friends over the past ten months this was the first time he could totally relax for more than a few hours. It was also the first time that he was away from his family for more than a day. He needed to get away for a weekend and not stress over Pan or worry if he was being a good enough father. He needed to get away from the training. He needed to get away from his work. He needed time to relax and time for himself. In an effort to take care of everyone else around him, Gohan had neglected to take care of himself. He needed some 'me' time and some fun time.

"At least he's promised to take it easy once he gets back." Videl told herself. "… well after his business meeting Monday… and after making his 'surprise' plans for our anniversary in April… and… and..." She then sighed in frustration. "Ugh Son Gohan, what am I going to do with you?!"


	6. Chapter 5: Camping

**A/N: So this chapter took longer than expected to get out. I do apologize but I feel that I can only write when inspiration hits me and sometimes that takes awhile. I guess I can't make any promises like that again… except for the next chapter. It turns out, as I was writing Chapter 5 I realized that there was a lot of information that I wanted to include to set the tone. I wanted to show how things have changed in correlation with the last chapter. This is all setting up for a big event and the resulting consequences in chapters to come. When I was writing Chapter 5 became so long that it ended up being twice as long as the previous chapters. So to maintain some consistency I divided Chapter 5 up into two chapters. This means that I will be putting Chapter 6 up in a few days (I want Chapter 5 to sink in before I put up Chapter 6). As always any response, but especially things that you like or things that you would improve on, are welcomed. Also, just to satisfy my curiosity, I would like to hear from people outside of the United States (especially from people who live in a country where the dominant language isn't English) to share their experiences with my story. I have been looking at the 'Traffic' section on my profile and I have been amazed at how many people from different countries view my work. I would love to hear why you chose to view my story (again, especially if English is not your primary language) and if you have any questions about concepts in this story, or any of my other ones, that may have a cultural slant here or there. Thanks again and I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

Chapter 5: Camping

The sun had just broken the horizon and began to shed it's light on the forest. It was morning and a new day was upon the inhabitants of the forest, which included some familiar campers in four tents that were nestled next to a descent size stream.

With the light coming through the opening in his tent, and hitting him on the face, Krillin slowly opened his eyes. Yawning, he came out of his tent to face the sun and the new day, the last day of camping. The short man stretched his well-rested body as he let the light envelope him.

"Ahhh." Krillin let out in a sigh. "Nothing beats camping."

As Krillin stepped out to wash his face in the stream Yamcha, who was sharing the tent with Krillin started to wake up as well and followed the same routine as his shorter friend.

"Good morning Krillin." Yamcha said through a yawn.

"Morning Yamcha." Krillin returned as he bent down to the water and proceeded to wash his face and get a drink.

Yamcha had noticed that everyone else was still sound asleep and mentioned this to Krillin.

"I guess that means breakfast is up to us."

Krillin turned to his friend and smiled. "Let's go then. The fish aren't gonna wait for us."

"Hai." Yamcha said and then they headed more down stream where the fish were more abundant.

While they were making their way along the stream, Krillin and Yamcha began talking about the trip.

"It's so nice to get away once in awhile." Krillin noted as he admired the dense forest that surrounded them. "I'm glad we could all get together to go camping."

"You're telling me." Yamcha replied. "The city life is great but after awhile I tend to miss the outdoors. It's just too bad Tienshinhan and Chaotzu couldn't make it."

"Yea, I know Chaotzu caught that cold a few days ago and they had to cancel last minute. Well hopefully next time they will be able to join us."

"Speaking of those who could make it I'm surprised Vegeta came." Yamcha said laughing. While he knew that Trunks probably had a lot to do with him coming this weekend he was still surprised nonetheless.

"Personally I'm more surprised that Gohan made it given everything that's been going on."

"Bulma's been filling in me every so often but I haven't heard much since he talked with everyone. How about you?"

"Pretty much the same. He does seem to be a lot more relaxed this weekend than when I previously saw him about a month or two ago but I can tell he still has a lot on his mind."

"… He's still thinking about Goku."

Krillin nodded in agreement.

This past year provided interesting discussions and reflections among all of them not only on the impact of Goku's absence, now as well as in the past, but also what each of them wanted from their friends and, in Krillin's and Bulma's case, their families as well.

However, this was a time when they did not want to discuss it and given the uncomfortable nature of the topic it was cut short as the two focused their attention on the water. The duo had arrived at an area where one stream had joined with the one they had been walking along. The crystal clear waters revealed a gathering of large fish; this was the spot.

Krillin and Yamcha looked at each other with a grin. Soon they would be having breakfast.

* * *

Gohan slowly opened his eyes as he woke up to sound of fire crackling. With his brother still asleep he quietly got dressed and stepped out of his tent.

"Mmmmm." He said to himself as he was greeted by the sight, and smell, of fish being cooked over the camp fire.

"Hey, good morning Gohan!" Oolong greeted as he and Puar came out of the thick forest with some fresh fruits to add to the morning feast.

Krillin and Yamcha, who were preparing the fish looked up from the fire and greeted Gohan as well.

"Good morning everyone. Mmmm… looks good." Gohan said as he made his way to the campfire. "Are Trunks and Vegeta up yet?"

Yamcha pointed towards Trunks' and Vegeta's tent. "Well Trunks is still asleep but it looks like Vegeta just got up."

Gohan turned around to see the prince of saiyans lazily getting out of his tent, hair disheveled. Vegeta never was a morning person.

"Good morning Vegeta." He greeted.

Vegeta mumbled something inaudible to the rest and then asked "What's for breakfast?"

"Fish." Krillin proclaimed.

"And fresh fruit." Puar added but it was clear Vegeta wasn't as interested in the latter.

After a few minutes of getting everything set and cleaning up, breakfast was ready. The only two missing were the teenage demi-saiyans that were still sound asleep in their tents despite calls for them to wake up.

"I know how to get them up." Yamcha said smirk as he walked over the fire.

Yamcha then proceeded to fan the smoke, from a fish that was still being cooked, over towards the tents. Not long after the smoke reached the tents, Trunks and Goten came stumbling out simultaneously.

"Is breakfast ready?" Trunks asked.

"I smell fish. Are we having fish?" Goten followed.

Everyone else laughed at the sight of the two young friends, waking up only in response to the smell of food.

Since it was their last breakfast they all took their time as they shared stories from the past few days on their camping trip. Time flew by as the groups shared laughs and ate a delicious meal. Before they knew it, it was late morning and it was time to pack up their tents and camping gear.

After all the tents and gear were packed up the group of friends decided to spend their last few hours swimming. This was followed by a rest on the soft summer grass as everyone watched the clouds go by. The whole experience had been pure bliss.

Mid-noon soon arrived and that meant it was time to head back home. After saying their goodbyes, each group went their respective ways. While both Krillin and Yamcha drove with Oolong and Puar (respectively), the rest flew back to their homes.

* * *

While flying home with his brother Goten noticed that Gohan seemed really focused… almost pensive.

"Gohan." Goten said in mid flight with his brother. "Is everything OK. You seem really distant all of a sudden."

Gohan, who was in fact just in deep thought, snapped his head up and looked at his brother. "Huh…? Oh, yea, sorry about that. I was just thinking about the presentation I have at my business meeting tomorrow. It's on something I've been working on for awhile and some well established colleagues will be there."

Goten smiled as he encouraged his brother. "Don't worry about it ni-chan. I'm sure everything will go fine. If anything this weekend of rest and relaxation has gotten you ready for tomorrow."

Gohan smirked. "I suppose it has."

"…Hey Gohan."

"Yea?"

"I'm glad you came on this trip with us."

Gohan smiled at his brother, "Me too."

A few moments of silence past when Goten looked at his brother with a devilish grin. Gohan soon noticed this. "What's up?" he asked.

"Wanna race?"

Gohan smiled back. "Sure"

"Alright." Goten said as he started them off. "On your mark… get set…" but before saying 'Go' he took off.

"HEY NO FAIR!!" Gohan yelled as he sped off to catch up with his younger brother.

* * *

It was around dusk when Goten and Gohan finally reached their homes. The two brothers landed in between the two houses, slightly exhausted from their flying games.

"Whew… I haven't flown that fast since… well since I can remember." Goten proclaimed as he took a few deep breaths.

Gohan laughed. He couldn't remember the last time his brother and him raced let alone challenge each other to other flying games that they had invented when they were both younger. It certainly brought back some good times that the two had shared many years ago.

Goten laughed along side his brother reminiscing about the same times. He was cut short, however, when the smell of dinner being prepared hit his nose.

"Mmmmmmmm. Something smells delicious." He said as he rubbed his stomach. "Okasan must have just started cooking. We made it right on time."

"I'm glad because I'm starving." Gohan replied.

"I'm gonna go help Okasan. I'll see you guys in a little bit." Goten said as he ran towards the house. Mid-way Goten stopped and turned back to his brother. "Oh and Gohan… thanks again for coming this weekend."

Gohan replied with a smile and simple thumbs up which Goten returned before running back towards the house. This weekend had really been a bonding time for the two brothers.

Gohan proceeded towards his house to greet his family and wash up for dinner.

"Hello, I'm back." He said as he laid his backpack down by the door.

"Otousan!!!!" Pan yelled as she came out of nowhere and gave her father a great big hug.

"Hey Pan-chan." Gohan greeted as he hugged her back. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Pan said hugging tighter.

"Where's Okasan?" Gohan asked noticing that Videl was nowhere to be seen.

Pan looked up at her father. "Okasan's sick."

"Nani!? What's wrong?" Gohan asked, almost in a panic.

"It's OK Gohan." Videl answered from upstairs.

Gohan looked up to see his wife in her bathrobe. She had bags under her eyes and did not look like she was doing that great. If she was sick, she was really sick.

"Videl, what's wrong." Gohan asked concerned.

"I think it's just a bug. I've just been constantly nauseous."

"When did this start?"

Videl was hesitant to tell him so Pan answered instead. "The night after you left to go camping."

"That long? Why didn't you try to reach me?" Gohan asked.

"Gohan, it's nothing. It's probably just a bug." Videl knew her husband would react like this. She then looked at Pan. "Pan-chan why don't you wash up. Obachan should have dinner ready soon."

"Hai." Pan said and then rushed off the washroom.

Gohan then went up stairs to Videl.

"You know I had my phone with me. I could have come home." He continued.

"Gohan, it's fine."

Gohan started to ask more questions but Videl cut him off. "I've already made an appointment with the doctor tomorrow just in case."

Again he started to ask more questions but she beat him to the punch. "Your mother is driving me so you don't have to worry about it." She sighed hoping she had answered all of his concerns. "I'm glad you encouraged her to finally get her license." she added.

Gohan laid his hands on his wife's shoulders. "If you want me to go with you I can cancel my meeting. It's not that important."

"Son Gohan, we both know how hard you have worked on this project and for how long you have been looking forward to this! Don't say it's not important."

"You're more important than anything work related will ever be." He said holding her tighter.

Videl sighed. "Gohan I'm fine. You needed to go on this camping trip and you need to go to this business meeting tomorrow. You're mom is taking me to the doctors so I won't have to go alone. All I need is some medicine to help me fight off what I have. I'm not dying so don't worry. I'm just going to go to bed for the rest of the night so I can try to get some rest. By the time you get home tomorrow I will already be on the road to getting over whatever I have."

Gohan looked into his wife's eyes. She had her serious face on and he knew there would be no sense in arguing with her. He had to let things be as they were.

"Alright… Pan and I will go eat while you get some rest… but if you change your mind about anything…"

"I know, I know." Videl reassured him.

Gohan smiled as he gave his wife a kiss on the head.

With that Videl went back to bed as Gohan and Pan went to have dinner with Chi-Chi and Goten.


	7. Chapter 6: Nervous

**A/N: Hey everybody, well like I promised this chapter is here this week and I thank everyone for all the support over the last one. In this chapter we will finally see what's plaguing Videl! This may be a shorter chapter but it's good... well at least I think so :)**

**Before the chapter starts I would like to take this time to address a review that was made and ask everyone's opinion on it. One reviewer said that they would prefer that I didn't use any Japanese in my stories but over time I feel that has kind of become a part of my writing style and makes me unique in a way but I wanted to hear other opinions on this. Do you think my stories would flow better if I did not include Japanese? As for the reviewer I want to thank you for pointing out something that you felt I could improve on. All constructive criticism is highly welcomed. If I don't change something please don't think I'm not listening, because I am, it's just sometimes (not all the times but sometimes) I may want to do things my way. On that note since this chapter was already written it includes Japanese words.**

~Chapter 6: Nervous~

The next morning Gohan had woken up early to prepare for his meeting.

After turning off his alarm he proceeded with his morning ritual of breakfast followed by a shower, brushing his teeth, and getting dressed for work. During the entire time he spent getting ready he was going over in his head what he wanted to say in his presentation. After telling himself that he could practice no more and to just trust his instincts he prepared to leave.

However, he made sure to check on his wife and daughter before heading out. While doing his best not to disturb their sleep he gave both of them a light kiss on the cheek.

As he reached the door he check himself in the mirror one last time.

"Here we go." He sighed and went off to work.

One of the biggest days in Gohan's life had begun.

* * *

Around noon-time Chi-Chi arrived to take Videl to the doctors while Goten babysat Pan.

"We'll be back soon Pan-chan." Videl said as she waved from the flying car her and Chi-Chi were in.

Pan waved back with Goten by her side, waving as well. Then, with a burst of the engines, they were off.

For someone who was so calm the night before Videl had to admit to herself that she was a little bit nervous. Something just felt… different. While she was sure it was just the bug, since it had been going around, there was a small part of her telling her that it was something bigger.

Something more serious.

"Well whatever it is, the doctor will find out what's wrong with me." She told herself as she tried to calm her nerves.

*Elsewhere, in Satan City.*

Gohan slowly closed his office door until he heard the click that let him know it was completely shut.

He took a deep breath in and out. That click meant he could finally relax.

Gohan had just gotten out of his business meeting where he presented what he had been working on for months. He did not expect there to be so many questions from the people in the room, but he spent a good hour or two answering them. After the meeting all he could think about was going back to his office, his sanctuary. He knew that he would not calm down until he had some time just to sit back and gather his thoughts.

"It's finally over with." He told himself as he made his way to his chair and looked out the window to the bustling city below.

Gohan closed his eyes and meditated for a few minutes. This was his ritual after times of great stress and it always managed to refresh and energize him.

After his short meditation break, the demi-saiyan turned around to his desk and continued with his work like it was any normal day.

Hours past and before he knew it his work day was over; it was time to go home. Gohan was exceedingly anxious to get back to see how his wife was doing. He had wanted to go home right after his meeting but his boss mentioned that he may want to talk with Gohan afterwards at some point. This chained Gohan to his office but it was something he had to put up with.

Now, at the end of the day, Gohan assumed that his boss must have been satisfied with his work since he did not see him for the rest of the day… that is until now.

Gohan was turning his key in his office door to lock it when he heard his boss a few feet from him.

"Gohan-san. Can you step into my office for a minute."

"Ughh…. Hai." Gohan said, rather surprised at the timing.

While making the short trip to his boss' office a million things were running through his mind.

"Uh-oh this can't be good. I should have known something was wrong when they kept asking questions. Ugh I probably looked so foolish up there. I just hope I'm not fired."

As Gohan entered his boss' office all those thoughts quickly disappeared as he saw not only his boss waiting for him but also two of the people from the business meeting who were actually two very important people from the company. His distress quickly became confusion.

"Gohan-san you remember Toriyama-san and Kageyama-san." His bossed said as he motioned to the two other gentlemen.

"Of course." Gohan said as they bowed to each other. "Hello again."

"Please sit." His boss said taking a seat himself. Everyone else followed.

"Gohan-san, after the meeting Toriyama-san and Kageyama-san wanted to talk with me. They said that they were very impressed with your presentation."

"Really?" Gohan said surprised but had to catch himself. Just a minute ago he was worried they thought the complete opposite.

"Yes. In fact ever since the meeting we have been talking about it… along with your future."

"Future?" Gohan thought to himself.

"Gohan-san, your presentation today was one of the best that either Kageyama-san or myself have ever seen. Not only that but you showed us how well you knew what you were talking about and how well you handled stress by the way you answered any questions we threw at you."

Gohan didn't know what to say. All he could muster out was a simple "Arigato."

"Gohan-san." Kageyama took over. "As you know this company has locations all over the world, but our headquarters is located in North City where some of the brightest minds in the industry come and work for us. We have discussed it and we would like to offer you a job promotion at headquarters in North City."

Gohan was stunned. "Wha-What about an interview?" He asked.

"The presentation you gave us today, along with all the questions we had, was your interview. Today you proved yourself to be very capable of what we are offering." Toriyama said with great encouragement.

"You should know Gohan-san we three came up with this idea." Gohan's boss redirected his attention. "You have a lot of potential and this job in North City is the place where someone with your talents could do a lot of good things."

For the next 30 minutes the four sat in the office discussing what Gohan would be doing and answering all the questions he had. Before long Gohan was left speechless at everything that was just said.

"I-I-I don't know what to say." He proclaimed

"Well think it over, there is no rush." Toriyama said as he stood up, followed by Kageyama and everyone else.

"Get some rest, discuss it with your family, and when you decide what you want to do you can get in touch with us through your boss." Toriyama finished as he lead Gohan to the door.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Gohan said as he bowed again and said his goodbyes.

Night had descended and before he knew it Gohan was standing in front of the door to his house. He had gotten home pretty late due to the days events, and because he took quite some time to get home. For him, however, the trip home had been a blur as he kept going over this new proposition in his head. He had been weighing the pros and cons the entire way home only to end up frustrating himself. He knew that he needed to know what his family thought; after all they came first.

Gohan took a deep breath before he entered his home. This day had been so intense for him… and he had no idea how much more intense it was about to get.

As he entered his house he saw Videl, illuminated by a single light, on the couch reading a book.

"Hey, you're home late. Is everything OK?" Videl asked as she sat up and motioned for him to sit beside her.

Gohan laid his briefcase down and undid his tie as he sat next to his wife giving her a kiss on the forehead. He knew by this time his daughter was already in bed sound asleep.

"Yea, the boss and some people just wanted to meet with me before I left. But before I talk about my day how about you? What did the doctor say?"

"Wait, wait." Videl said, sidestepping her husband's question. "Your boss and 'some people' wanted to meet with you? Who were these other people?"

"…Executives from our company's headquarters who were at the meeting." Gohan tried his best to make it sound like it was no big deal.

Videl gasped. "Gohan what did they say? What happened?" Her voice was starting to show her excitement as she could already predict what they had discussed.

"Well they said that they liked the presentation… they really liked it." Gohan let out a smile. "And we talked… and they thought I have a lot potential. And before I say anything else keep in mind I haven't said yes to anything yet, and I wanted to talk to you first, and I realize this would be a big change, and I want us to careful-"

Videl had gotten impatient and cut him off. "Gohan out with it! What did they say?"

"They offered me a job promotion… at headquarters in North City."

"North City?" Videl was astonished.

Gohan mistook her excitement for anger that he would even consider moving that far away.

"Videl, don't worry I haven't accepted anything yet."

"Well Gohan you have to say 'yes'!"

Gohan looked at his wife puzzled.

"Gohan some of the brightest minds that work in your field live in North City. You've got to take this job!" Videl was so happy for her husband right now.

Gohan was rather shocked. He did not expect Videl to be this enthusiastic about it. "You really think so?"

"Of course… why not?" Videl asked in return.

"Well, it's just that we would have to move pretty far, and what about your job?"

"Gohan, if we moved to North City I could get a better job and it would be easier for Pan to go to school. You have to take this job!"

"Ha ha. Alright, alright you've convinced me." Gohan said as he became a little overwhelmed with his wife's excitement.

The two then looked at each other in the dim light, taking in the moment. Then, without warning Videl, gave her husband a big hug.

"I love you Gohan-san."

"I love you too Videl-san." Gohan returned as he started to gently pet her black hair.

A few seconds passed before Videl broke the silence.

"I guess this works out anyway. Seeing as we are going to need a bigger place."

"Nani?" Gohan pulled away from the hug to face his wife. "What do you mean?"

Videl smiled in a way that had Gohan worried. It was a smile he rarely saw from her. His thoughts went to what she had done today.

"What did the doctor say? Is everything alright?" He was starting to panic.

"Gohan close your eyes for a minute."

"Huh?" He asked confused, but then something in the demi-saiyan told him not to question her, so he closed his eyes.

Videl pressed his hand against her chest.

Gohan sat there with his eyes closed as he felt Videl's heartbeat. Then, he noticed something different. Not with her heartbeat… but with her. A puzzle look came across his face as he tried to figure out what his wife was telling getting to. What he was sensing was not something bad like cancer, but rather it was something good.

Videl smiled gently as she noticed Gohan's confusion. She then asked. "Gohan… how many ki's do you feel."

Gohan concentrated real hard for a minute and then opened his eyes and looked at his wife. In a quiet voice he answered her question.

"…Two"

Videl nodded.

"Gohan, the doctor said I'm not sick… I'm pregnant."


	8. Chapter 7: Anniversary

**A/N: Hello everyone! First let me say thank you to everyone who responded to my question about the Japanese usage. After hearing what you guys had to say I have decided to keep the Japanese because I do feel like it makes my stories unique, but I will try use less of it because I understand how it can be a bit overwhelming.**

**Anyway this chapter took a long time because it's longer than the previous ones and I had to think about what I wanted to fit in. I am sorry for all the time gaps but this chapter is really an interlude to what is going to happen next. I also wanted to give the reader a sense of how others were feeling about the events going on so this chapter will have a little less Gohan in it. Anyway I'm tired and you guys want to read so here it is.**

~Chapter 7: Anniversary~

It had been a few weeks since Gohan's job promotion and Videl finding out she was pregnant. Word had eventually gotten around and everybody had been calling in to wish the Son family congratulations. While Chi-Chi was at first overly excited about the news of a new grandchild, she was quickly reminded that Gohan and Videl would be moving to North City soon, so the new baby would not be right next door like Pan had been. This realization had prompted a slight crying fit from Chi-Chi who then turned the attention to Goten demanding answers as to when he was going to get married and have children. Needless to say the situation for Goten was uncomfortable.

"Ack Gohan, are you seriously going to move to North City and leave me her?" Goten joked with his brother, who laughed back in response.

Gohan had suggested several times that his mother and brother should move, if not with him and Videl, then near some of their friends near Capsule Corp or Satan City, but neither Chi-Chi nor Goten wanted to move. Both thought of 439 East District as there home and moving would have been like losing part of the family. That being said, they did accompany Videl and Gohan during the first time the couple traveled to North City to look for houses. However, finding a house wasn't that simple and Gohan and Videl ended up going back three more times to look at more houses as well as to give Videl the opportunity to interview for some jobs.

Getting everything ready for the big move that was to take place had certainly added some extra baggage onto the lives of Gohan and Videl. Fortunately Gohan had stuck to his word about taking it easier on the training so he was not over working himself. In fact, ever since the day when he got his promotion and Videl had announced she was pregnant, Gohan had been rather relaxed. In comparison to how he was almost a full year ago it was like he was a completely different person.

* * *

It was now April 25th and Gohan and Videl were out celebrating their wedding anniversary in Satan City as Mr. Satan babysat Pan and Bra, who had come out for a sleepover with Pan.

In the Satan household, Pan, Bra, and Buu were having a tea party before bed.

"So Pan, how does it feel knowing that you are going to be a big sister?" Bra asked taking a sip of her tea.

"I'm super excited." Pan said in a cheerful voice. "I hope it's a girl! I would love a baby sister."

"Awww." Bra responded as she marveled at the prospect of her best friend having a younger sister.

Buu, who had been filling himself with various sweets at the 'tea party' took a second to interject. "What if it's a boy?"

Pan frowned at the idea. "Hmp… boys are yucky. They are also dirty."

"They are messy." Bra added which lead to a back and forth between the two of

"They are noisy."

"They pick there nose."

"EWWWWW." They both squeal in response to the last comment.

Buu, who was not quite used to the behavior of children, as well as the gender roles and stereotypes that came with it, sat there confused. However, before any questions could be asked Mr. Satan came in the room with Bee right behind him.

"Alright you two munchkins, time for bed."

"Aww, do we have to." Pan asked with a sad chibi face.

It was a face that always got to Mr. Satan. "Well… ughh…" He stumbled on his words. Fortunately Bee came to his rescue and ran up to Pan giving her a few licks on the face.

"Haha, Bee stop, haha." Pan laughed and then ran towards Bra hiding behind her.

Bee followed Pan and began to lick Bra who had the same reaction.

"OK OK, we'll go to bed." Bra said through laughter. The two girls then proceeded to run out of the room giggling as the lovable canine chased them ready to give them more 'kisses' (not sure if this is a cultural thing but here in the States when a dog licks you people say he/she is kissing you).

Mr. Satan laughed lightly and then turned to Buu.

"Come on Buu, let's grab a drink and watch TV."

Buu smiled at this suggestion and he got up to walk downstairs with Mr. Satan. On there way Buu had a question for his friend.

"Satan-san… why do boys pick their nose?"

-sweatdrop-

* * *

Elsewhere in Satan City Gohan and Videl were enjoying a romantic evening at a high-end restaurant.

"Mmmm… this cake is so delicious." Videl commented as she took another bite of her dessert.

"Mmhmmm." Gohan agreed with a mouthful of cake. It was hard to tell who was enjoying it more.

Videl eyed her husband. "Gohan, you're taking all the cake. Make sure you leave enough for me." She joked.

"Oops. Gomen." He said blushing and pushing the dessert closer to her.

Videl laughed lightly. She always thought it was cute when he blushed.

"I have an idea." Videl said snapping Gohan out of his slight embarrassment. "Lets exchange gifts."

Gohan smiled. "Hai."

"Here, you open yours first." Videl said as she handed him a small package that had been concealed in her purse.

"Alright." Gohan took the package and started to unravel it as Videl watched with a smirk across her face. From the package Gohan pulled out a brand new silver watch. "Oh Videl, I love it." He then proceeded to put it on. "Thank you." He said with a kiss.

"Now for yours." He said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

Videl slowly unraveled the wrapping and opened the box to reveal a set of keys. She looked up at Gohan with a shocked look. Was this was she thought it was?

"When we were looking for houses last week you mentioned how much you liked the one we visited that was right outside the city. I knew that was the one you wanted,… it was the one we both wanted." Gohan told her with a smile.

"B-But Gohan…. Didn't you say it was above our price range?"

"I did… but I thought it over and, well, I factored in how much money we will be making after we move and I changed my mind. Plus someone once told me that you can't put a price on 'Home'."

Videl smiled. When they moved in across the Son household that was one thing she always told him and now he was saying it to her.

Videl became so overwhelmed with joy that she pulled Gohan into a deep hug and kiss.

After a few moment of letting the joy sink in she proceeded to whisper in Gohan's ear. "Thank you."

This truly had been the best anniversary they had ever had.

* * *

The news of their new house was not only a great joy to Videl and Gohan but also to Pan who made the trip up with her parents the following week to look at it. Needless to say the young chibi fell in love with it. An added bonus was that Tien and Chaotzu lived only a few kilometers away near the mountain side.

As May rolled around it was decided that they would be moving by the end of the month, a few days after Gohan's birthday.

Then came May 7th… the 1 year anniversary of the 28th Tenkaichi Budokai… the 1 year anniversary of when Goku left. It was also a training day for Gohan and Piccolo.

"Masenko!"

A powerful energy beam ripped through the desolate terrain and collided with a giant pillar reducing it to mere rubble.

Gohan took deep breaths in and out as he floated down to take a seat on the edge of a cliff near where his brother (who had tagged along for the day) was standing.

"That's enough for today." Piccolo shouted from above. He then proceeded to descended to where the two demi-saiyans rested.

It had been an exhausting day of training. Their cloths were tattered and sweat dripped from their faces… but Gohan wanted to keep training. While his body was telling him to rest his mind, his Sayian side, did not want to stop.

Gohan was angry.

Unlike before it was not as aggressive since he had learned to control that Saiyan aspect, but he was still upset because he knew what today was. He knew it was exactly one year ago today that his father left, an event, which aided his decision to start training again. An event, that changed everything.

In response to wanting to keep going Gohan wearily stood up only to have his brother put his hand on his shoulder.

"Gohan, it's been a long day. Do anymore and you could hurt yourself." Goten said with a concerned look.

"Hai." Gohan replied as he sat back down. It still surprised him how well his brother knew him and sometimes all it took was a few simple words from him to bring things into better focus.

The trio caught their breath on the cliff side as drank up the last of the water they had brought with them.

Not much was said between the three for the next 30 minutes while they rested. Everyone had the anniversary of Goku's leaving on their mind but nobody wanted to talk about given how delicate the situation was.

Finally Gohan stood up and proclaimed it was time for him to head home.

"You coming Goten?" He asked as he picked up his bag.

"You go on ahead. I want to relax just a little bit more. I'm not use to this type of training." Goten answered.

Gohan smirked. "Alright… but don't stay here too late or mom will worry."

Goten nodded in agreement.

"I will see you later Piccolo." Gohan waved as he flew off at tremendous speed towards his house. Even after all the tiresome training, he still had an incredible amount of energy in him.

As Gohan flew off Goten and Piccolo continued to rest and watch the sky drift by.

Goten closed his eyes as he began some light meditation. After awhile, however, Piccolo finally broke the ice.

"What's on your mind Goten?"

Goten smirk and then looked up at Piccolo. "Am I that easy to read Piccolo-san?"

Piccolo just smiled back.

Goten sighed and looked back at the horizon. "I was just thinking about what the future holds. So much has changed recently and I don't know how to feel? Today was emotional not only for him (Gohan) but for me as well."

Goten stood up and faced the Namekian.

"It's been a year today since he left and he hasn't tried to get in contact with anyone. I defended him when he first left but now… now I have my doubts. What if he never comes back?"

Piccolo did not know how to respond. He could only sympathize with the young demi-saiyan.

"Goten, I'm sorry for what has happened."

Goten started to get teary eyed. "Me too." He said. "Tell me Piccolo, why does he do this? Why does he just disappear?"

"…I don't know. But ever since I have know Goku he has been this way. He is always trying to look for a worthy opponent… somebody stronger than him, but in the end he always surpasses them. According to Vegeta it's the Saiyan in him."

"But he has a choice." Goten said in a cold tone.

Piccolo was a little taken aback at Goten's comment. It had been a long time since just the two of them discussed the issue at hand but Piccolo was surprised none-the-less.

Goten continued before Piccolo could speak. "He has always had a choice. He has chosen to completely ignore his family. Heck, the only contact we had with him was two days after the tournament when he called Mr. Satan about money he said he promised Uub, and then picked it up the next day with very little conversation to Mr. Satan. We don't know where he is or anything else. And for all he knows something tragic has happened and one of us are dead!" Tears started to make their way down Goten's face. He was starting to understand the hurt that his brother talked about. "When he mentioned the pain he experienced in his childhood of having to see Tousan leave and come back, leave and come back and never knowing when either was going to happen, I didn't understand. I didn't understand then… but I am beginning to understand now. I thought it was hard not having a father for the first seven years of my life but what's harder is finally having him and then after all this time losing him. It's been eating me up inside and if it hurts this much for me after the first time of this happening… I can't even begin to imagine the pain Gohan has been through when Tousan was absent so frequently." Goten started to cry harder. Piccolo walked up to him and placed his arm on Goten's shoulder.

Goten looked up Piccolo and then proceeded to bury his face in the Namekian's chest as he sobbed. Piccolo returned with a hug to help comfort Goten. It was a moment that felt surreal for Piccolo. He began to think to himself how many times he had done this with Gohan when Goku had left. Suddenly Goten wasn't the only one who was beginning to understand more about his brother's pain.

A few minutes passed and Goten began to quite down. He then stepped away from Piccolo and asked "Piccolo-san… has he become stronger than Tousan?"

Piccolo just nodded.

"Good!" Goten proclaimed. "Then maybe he won't leave anymore if ni-chan can prove to him that it's not necessary."

With that Goten picked up his bag and waved goodbye to Piccolo.

"Arigato." He muttered. Piccolo just smiled and nodded. Goten then took off towards his home.

After Goten left Piccolo became slightly pensive. What he didn't tell Goten, when he asked about his brothers power, was that Gohan had already gotten back to his power level when he fought Buu and when he was, at that time, technically the strongest person in the universe besides Buu. The thing is Gohan had reached this state months ago. Still it was hard to say exactly how strong the demi-saiyan had become because there was always a part of Gohan that held back during his training. This is because Gohan's true power never came out until times of great emotional strife. Even with the power-ups by Rou Dai Kaioshin, that hidden power still existed; Piccolo could feel it.

* * *

May 15th

-Bring- -Bring-

"Moshi Moshi." Bulma greeted as she answered the phone.

"Bulma, it's Videl. I just wanted to make sure that you guys will be at the party next weekend."

"Oh of course Videl. It's not just his birthday but it's one of your last days at the house. We have to see you guys off."

"Thank you very much Bulma. So we will see you guys at 5 o'clock next Saturday. Oh before I forget remember that it's a surprise party. Gohan has no idea."

"Alright sounds good. And don't worry about Gohan finding out, my lips are sealed."

"Thanks Bulma. See you guys next week. Goodbye." And with that Videl hung up the phone and relaxed in her chair. "Bulma and her family are a go."

Chi-Chi, who had been planning the party with Videl put a check mark next to Bulma's family. "OK… well that's the entire list and… it looks like everyone can make it." She looked up and smiled at her daughter in-law.

"Ah, thank you so much Chi-Chi for helping me plan this party. I don't think I could have done it by myself." Videl said as she wiped her head. After days of planning they were finally done.

Both were so proud that they worked out the entire thing and neither could wait to see the look on Gohan's face next week when he shows up to his surprise birthday party.

* * *

-In a remote village-

"Dinner's ready!" An elderly woman yelled out to the two fighters in the sky. Before the woman could set the last bowl on the table the two warriors, who had spent all day training, we seated with their chopsticks in hand.

The woman let out a small laugh. "You boys are hungry I take it?" Her question was answered with vigorous head nods.

Soon the rest of the family made their way to the table and they were all enjoying a plentiful dinner (most of which was enjoyed by the two hungry fighters).

As dinner wound down the old woman decided to open up the conversation.

"So Goku, how has training been going?"

"It's been going very well. In fact since we started training a year ago Uub's power has increased faster than anyone I know." Goku said with a smile.

Uub blushed but deep inside he was eternally grateful for what Goku had done for him and his village. The money he had provided via Mr. Satan had saved his village from the depths of poverty and it was now a very productive farming community.

"Well we thank you Son Goku for coming here to help our village and to mentor young Uub."

Everyone raised their glasses in thanks to Goku. To everyone there, he had been a saint and they couldn't thank him enough.

Later that night, as Goku and Uub lay in there beds across from one another, Uub wondered about what Goku had planned for them for the weekend.

"Goku-san. Are we going hiking this weekend?" Uub asked

Goku looked over at his young pupil and shook his head. "Not this weekend. I'm actually going to be away."

"Eh… What?! You can't leave Goku-san." Uub jumped up thinking that Goku was leaving forever.

Goku tried to calm the youngster down. "Ah don't worry I will be back after a few days. I just want to visit my family and pick up something from my house that I want you to have."

Uub sat back down on his bed. "You want me to have something? Like a gift?"

Goku nodded. "It was something I had when I was your age and it helped to protect me well. But in order for you to get it you have to promise me that you will continue training while I'm gone."

"Hai." Uub said with a smile and then laid back down on his bed.

After a few minutes Uub spoke up again.

"Goku?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you… for everything."


	9. Chapter 8: Surprise!

A/N: Wow… it has been awhile but so much has gone into this chapter. As I am writing this it is 11pm EST and I am exhausted for multiple reasons, but I have just finished this chapter, which is a pretty exciting one. I shall publish it tomorrow but I just wanted to say that I have worked strenuously on this chapter because the end provides a definite turning point in the storyline. Also there is a lot of foreshadowing in this chapter for things to come… I think… I really am very tired right now. Well I hope you guys enjoy the chapter…. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

**Chapter 8: Surprise!!!**

May 17th, Gohan's Birthday

8:30 am

"Yo!!! Happy Birthday ni-chan!" Goten said in a loud and cheerful voice as he, followed by Chi-Chi, entered his brother's house.

It was early morning and they were all getting together to have breakfast before Videl, Gohan, and Pan went on a daylong picnic. It was the only thing that Gohan had said he wanted for his birthday but he was still unaware of the surprise party that lay ahead in the evening.

"Happy Birthday Gohan!" Chi-Chi chimed in.

Gohan, who had been on the top floor, made his way down the stairs to his mother and brother. "Good morning." He greeted at he rubbed his damp hair with the towel he was holding. It was clear he had just gotten out of the shower. "And that you for the Birthday wishes." He continued as he approached his family he extended his arms and proceeded to hug his them. "You're just in time too. Videl told me that the food is all ready."

The three made their way to the kitchen where Pan was already situated and Videl was in the process of putting away all the dishes she had used. The kitchen was well lit by the morning sun as the smell of breakfast mixed pleasantly with the fresh country air that was coming in through the open window. After their 'hellos' and 'good mornings' everyone gathered around the table to enjoy the meal Videl had prepared.

"So where again are you guys going today?" Chi-Chi asked as she took a sip of her coffee.

"There's a nice lake in Akira Park about 50 kilometers northwest of here. It's one of Gohan's favorite spots." Videl answered as she put the last plate of food on the table and sat down.

"Are you sure you guys don't want to come along?" Gohan asked.

Chi-Chi and Videl glanced at each other. The plan was that while they were away on the picnic, Chi-Chi and Goten would set up everything for the surprise party.

"Ugh… no I'm sure. I've got too many things to do today and Goten has some studying to do." Chi-Chi replied.

"I do?!" Goten said with surprise, which was only further enhanced with the muffled sound thanks to a mouth full of food. He proceeded to look at his mother who, with one look of facial expression, made him instantly remember the party. He gulped down his food. "Oh yea… I have a big project."

Gohan was about to interject when Chi-Chi reassured him that they would be getting together for dinner later that night. "…and we will have a big birthday dinner!!" She added.

"With cake!?" Pan asked eagerly. Gohan looked at his mother and his face showed his inner child. He was wondering the same thing.

Chi-Chi smiled. "Of course!"

"And ice cream?" Pan added.

"If you want." Chi-Chi responded with the same smile.

"And cho-" Pan started again but what cut off by her mother.

"Say, whose birthday is this?" Videl joked.

Everyone laughed.

The rest of breakfast went well into the late morning with casual conversation. For Goten it was hard to hide the fact that his brother would be coming home to a surprise party, he was always so bad with secrets. However, the young demi-saiyan pulled through without any slip-ups and the party was still on.

Around 10:00 am Gohan was finishing packing up the hover car that they were going to take to Akira Park. As he stepped back to look over everything that was packed he noticed he was missing one vital thing: a blanket to sit on. Just as he was about to ask Videl where it had gone to Pan came out hovering in the air with the blanket neatly wrapped up. "Otousan you forgot this."

"Ah, thank you sweetheart." Gohan replied as Pan put it on top of the picnic baskets.

"It's a perfect fit." She exclaimed giving her father a thumbs up and a wink.

"Yosh!" Gohan smiled back, returning the thumbs up and wink.

"Alright, everyone ready?!" Videl asked as she closed the door behind her.

"Hai." Gohan and Pan said in unison. Looking at them it was hard to tell who was more excited.

"Are you guys leaving already?!" Chi-Chi asked as she came out behind a few bed sheets that were air drying on the cloths line. Goten followed suit, revealing himself from behind the cotton sheets he had just put up.

"Yup." Gohan answered. "We should be back around 5:00."

"OK. You guys have fun." Chi-Chi said waving as Gohan, Videl, and Pan got into the hover car and started to ascend.

"Oh and good luck on your project Goten!" Gohan yelled from the passenger side.

"Huh?" Goten questioned but a quick jab from his mother's elbow corrected him. "Oh yea… thanks!" He yelled back.

The car then took off into the distance with great speed.

After it was out of sight the silence was broken by Chi-Chi "All right Goten, let's get to work." she ordered.

"Hai." Goten said with a head nod. And so they began the preparations for the party.

* * *

1:00 pm

At Akira Park people were going about their day while they enjoyed the nice weekend weather. The sky was clear and the temperature was just right for a day spent outside. Gohan and Videl sat lazily on the plaid picnic blanket as they took in the beauty of the day. Their daughter had taken some extra bread crumbs after the big lunch they just had and walked a few yards to the lakeside where she was now feeding the ducks. Everything seemed so perfect and picturesque.

"Gohan, are you going to finish this?" Videl asked with a half eaten cookie in her hand.

Gohan looked tempted but he was already so full from lunch. "No, I'm f-" but before he could finish Videl quickly ate the remainder of what her husband had left. Gohan stared at her for a second, quite surprised at her appetite, but then he smiled and even started to chuckle a little bit. The only time she had been consuming this much food was when she was pregnant with Pan.

Videl caught on to her husbands chuckling.

"What are you laughing?" She asked, already guessing his answer.

"Haha… you just remind me of when we were expecting Pan… very hungry." He said still chuckling.

Videl saw the humor the situation and decided to laugh as well.

"Well I am carrying your child." She shot back in a playful manner.

Gohan's face lit up with a smile and he put his hand on her abdomen. "Our child." He corrected her. They both then leaned in for a kiss but were interrupted by their daughter.

"Otousan, Okasan, I fed the baby ducks. I fed the baby ducks." Pan exclaimed as she ran up to her parents.

"I saw. That's great Pan-chan." Videl responded as she redirected her attention.

"Otousan, did you get a picture?" Pan asked pointing to the camera slung around Gohan's shoulder.

"Yea…" Gohan replied as he began fumbling through the camera to show his daughter the picture. He got to one where a few baby ducks were eating the breadcrumbs that Pan had, right out of her hand.

"Kawaii!!" Pan jumped up with excitement when she saw it. She then proceeded to position herself between Gohan and Videl.

"Otousan, take a picture of all of us." Pan pleaded.

Gohan smiled. "OK." He said with a big smile.

Gohan let go of the camera and using his ki hovered it in the air (much like what Goku did with the water as he was in the hospital after the fight with Vegeta in the Saiyan Saga… except with better ease).

"Say cheese." He said after he positioned it.

"CHEEEEEEESE."

And then flash.

It turned out to be one of the best pictures they had of their family. As years came to pass they would look at it time and time again to remember that day. They would also look at it because it was a rarity. It was the last pictures of its kind.

* * *

5:00 pm

At his brother's house Goten hovered in the air as he finished putting the last bit of decorations up for Gohan's party.

"There, finished!" He said to himself as he backed away from the 'Happy Birthday Gohan' sign that hung from the ceiling. "Perfect."

Goten then saw his mother as she brought in a big plate of food from the kitchen.

"MMMMMM." He instinctively hummed.

Chi-Chi knew that sound all too well, her son was anxious to eat. "Goten, we have to wait for the guests." She set the plate down and then turned around to face her son to scold him for even thinking about eating before the party started. However, instead of scolding him her face lit up with delight at the sight of all the decorations. "Oh Goten. It's perfect. You're brother is going to love it."

Goten grinned at his mother's approval.

Just then they head a knock on the door. Chi-Chi approached hoping that it wasn't Gohan arriving early.

She opened the door.

"Bulma!" She shouted as she proceeded to hug her best friend.

"Hi Chi-Chi." Bulma said as she hugged back. "Are we the first ones here?"

"Yup, and we just finished getting everything together so it's perfect timing." Chi-Chi replied as she motioned them inside the house. "Come in, come in."

"Is there food?" Vegeta asked as his family stepped inside.

"Vegeta!?" Bulma shot back as she gave him a glare.

Trunks laughed. "What Kasan? We're hungry."

Chi-Chi and Bulma shared a look with each other. Both new quite too well how the Saiyan appetite was.

Within moments another knock was at the door. This time Goten answered.

"Krillin!"

"Hey!" Krillin returned with the same enthusiasm.

Before long Gohan's house was alive with excitement and anticipation as more and more people arrived. By 5:30 it was a packed house with all of Gohan's friends and family from Piccolo to Bulma to Dende. Everyone was there to celebrate Gohan's birthday… everyone, except of course Goku.

As time drew on they all eagerly awaited Gohan's return home but in the mean time kept up conversation.

It was 5:40 pm when Chi-Chi got the call she was expecting from Videl.

"Hi Chi-Chi, it's Videl. I just wanted to let you know we are about 5 minutes away."

"OK. I'll set the table." Chi-Chi replied as she stifled a laugh. She felt just like a spy with the hidden messages in the conversation. The two had planned the phone call so Chi-Chi knew when to tell everyone that they were close. The rest of the dialogue was set up just in case Gohan heard what his mother was saying from the other end of the phone.

Chi-Chi hurried out of the kitchen to announce that Gohan and Videl were just 5 minutes away. "Gather around and shut off the lights." Everyone quieted down and started to group together so they could all yell 'Surprise' when Gohan walked in.

* * *

5:45 pm

Pan hopped out of the plane followed by her parents.

"I wonder what's for dinner." She inquired happily.

"I dunno Pan-chan, we will have to see." Gohan replied as he began to open his front door.

He clicked the lights on.

"SURPRISE!!!" Everyone shouted which startled Gohan a little. He was not expecting to see all of his friends in his home, let alone surprising him like that.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOHAN!!!"

The demi-saiyan's face lit up as he realized what was going on. "How did…?" He began to question but never finished his sentence. He then turned to Videl. "Did you…?" But again was unable to complete his sentence. Instead Videl just gave a sly smile as she looked away trying to act innocent.

Gohan let out a big smile.

"Thank you." He said to her, almost in a whisper, and then turned to his friends.

"Thank you everyone!"

Gohan maneuvered his way around the crowd as he said hello to all of his friends, some of whom he had not seen in quite a few months. The house was soon filled with laughs and good conversations with old friends. The party had officially begun.

"You've done a really nice job Chi-Chi." #18 proclaimed as she looked around at all the food and party decorations.

"Arigato." Chi-Chi smiled as she put down another plate of rice. As soon as she had done that Trunks and Goten were quick to help themselves to another portion.

The women stepped back to give the two teenage demi-saiyans enough space. Chi-Chi then looked at #18. "Be thankful you don't have teenage sons." She joked.

#18 just laughed.

"Mmmm… this is good huh Goten." Trunks said in between gulps. All he got in response however, was muffled noise from his friend that he took as confirmation.

"All right you two leave enough room the others." Chi-Chi said as she chased them away.

As the party dragged on everyone mingled with old friends as they held discussions on the past, present, and future. One such discussion and perhaps a highlight of the party, at least for Pan, Marron, and Bra, was when Krillin and Dende shared the stories about their time on Namek. They had the chibi's on the edge of their seat with there story telling and elaborate use of physical comedy. Gohan looked on with Piccolo and Vegeta.

"Ah, it's hard to believe how long ago that was." He commented.

The Namekian nodded in agreement.

Gohan then turned towards Vegeta.

"You enjoying yourself Vegeta?" He asked.

Vegeta looked up at him and let smirk cross his face as he nodded. Gohan smiled back.

Throughout the evening the party was filled with activities from games to dancing (nobody would ever forget Master Roshi trying to break dance). Before long over two hours had past and it was time for cake!!

* * *

Goku waved goodbye to Uub and the people of the village that he had called home for over a year.

"Come back soon." A small child said waving.

"I will." Goku responded cheerfully as he placed two fingers on his forehead. He located the ki he wanted and within an instant he was gone.

Chi-Chi had shut off the lights as Ox-King carry an enormous cake lit with candles to the birthday boy.

Goku appeared outside his house. The last remnants of the setting sun lingered in the sky behind him as he entered his house.

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you." Everyone sang.

"Hmm… where is everybody?" Goku asked aloud. The house was dark and empty.

"Happy Birthday to Gohan…"

Goku went outside and heard the crickets as the last remnants of day began to disappear. As he thought to himself he heard something faint.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!"

He turned towards the noise and saw a soft glow in his sons house. Goku approached.

"Alright make a wish Otousan." Pan said with enthusiasm.

Goku grasped the handle.

Without hesitation Gohan blew out the candles.

* * *

8:00 pm

Goku entered his son's house as the light flicked on and everybody was clapping.

"Hey how did you guys know I was coming?" Goku asked, overlooking the birthday banner hung across the room.

Gohan's eyes widened. Had he just heard who he thought he heard? He resisted looking up to confirm his suspicions. Everyone else had already seen for themselves… there, in his son's doorway, was Goku.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment until…

"Goku!" Shouted Oolong.

Gohan winced. His suspicions were now confirmed.

Piccolo began to feel an unsteady rise in Gohan's ki despite his best efforts to hide it.

"Tousan." Goten muttered as tears welled up in his eyes. For a moment he forgot all the hurt that his father had incidentally caused by leaving, and instead let himself become in enveloped by the happiness he felt to see his father.

Others felt the same way as in an instant several of the party guests went up to the Saiyan to give him a hug, leaving the birthday boy staring at his cake.

"Why?" Gohan thought to himself. "Why did he have to come on this day, at this time?"

After giving his father a hug Goten got back to reality. What was to happen next? He turned to his brother. "Gohan." He muttered under his breath but Goku heard him and looked in the direction his son was looking to see his other son in front of a cake.

"Hey you guys made me cake?" Goku said in an innocent tone.

Gohan shot a glance at him. "… He thinks this is all for him." He thought to himself.

Both Piccolo and Videl sensed his power level jump for a second then come back down. Piccolo knew his former protégé was trying his best to control it but this situation was proving too much for him.

While nobody else noticed Gohan's power jump they were certainly uncomfortable. After all Goku was crashing his own sons birthday.

Chi-Chi tried to say something but before she could Goku approached the delicious dessert before him.

"Oh boy, had I know you guys were going to make me a cake I might have come home earlier." Goku started to laugh.

This time, everyone who had the ability to sense ki was aware of Gohan's power level. It was spiking erratically. He was loosing his grip on control. Piccolo became increasingly worried. Even Vegeta showed signs of unease at the young demi-saiyans power. Someone had to intervene.

As his best friend since youth, Krillin tried to be that someone. "Ugh Goku…" He said taking a few steps toward his friend.

"Do you know what today is?" Gohan cut off Krillin. His tone was ice cold as his facial expressions showed his intense seriousness.

Goku, still oblivious to Gohan's mood, tilted his head back to think. Had he only turned his head 90 degrees he would see the huge banner that Goten had hung up.

"Umm…" He pondered. "…It's Friday… no wait… Saturday."

Gohan let out a deep sigh. "I thought so… excuse me." The atmosphere was tense as Gohan tried to leave. He knew he was too angry to confront his father at that moment. If he could make it out the front door he would be good.

As he made his way past some of the guests he had just passed his father when he heard him say "Hey Gohan don't leave the party, I just got here. Besides I am going back to Uub's village Monday and I need to ask- oh there you are Satan-san, we need more money for Uub's training an-"

But Goku was unable to finish.

Within two minutes Goku had showed up and crashed Gohan's birthday party, and now he was announcing that he was leaving again after being gone for a whole year. Gohan couldn't take it anymore. Within a split second all the anger that had built up over the year was unleashed. Gohan's energy level shot through the roof.

He lost control.

Gohan then punched his father.

It was a punch that had a lifetime of hurt and anger behind it.

The strike was so powerful it sent Goku flying, crashing threw the wall of the house and into a hill nearby.

Everything was so quick but it was incredibly destructive. Tables were over turned, furniture was scattered, and there was a huge hole in house from where Goku had been forced through by sheer force. Everyone was distraught from shock and disbelief of what had just happened.

Gohan had just begun to realize what he had done a split-second after the incident… that's when he heard his daughter cry.

He was met with the shocked stares from everyone in the room and immediately he was overcome with emotion; the type of emotion you have when you realize you have done something extreme in a moment of intense anger.

He couldn't believe what he had done. He didn't know what to do.

Gohan started panic as he felt the eyes of everyone there on him. The walls felt like they were closing in on him, his chest tightened.

He couldn't take it. He had to get out of there.

Without much warning he ran out of the door and flew at top speed off into the night.

8:03 pm


	10. Chapter 9: Gohan's id

**A/N: OK… wow… so yea… again I must apologize for updating so late but I had a residential situation that kept me… well… busy. Let there be a lesson here, never sign a lease with people you just met. Seems like common sense I know. Anyway I know it's been awhile but here is Chapter 9. One thing you should know about this chapter is it uses Freud's id, ego, and superego. Id being the more 'rude' aspect of the mind and Superego being the more 'super nice' aspect of the mind. I always found Gohan to be someone who seemed to express his superego more than anything so in this chapter his id comes out to torture him a little bit. And before I get a bunch of flame I realize that the id and superego are subconscious and not really conscious and that I am probably wrongly defining this theory developed by one of the greatest minds in the last 200 years but it's the closest thing I could think of when I wanted to describe the internal struggle that Gohan has. One last thing for those who don't know, **_**baka**_** is Japanese for idiot.**

Chapter 9: Gohan's id

In the night sky Gohan was reaching speeds that he didn't even know he was capable of. The power behind his speed was anger; anger towards his father. As he flew, the young warrior kept pushing his body to go faster. The more physically stressed his body was the less likely he was to think about what just transpired. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, some thoughts found their way into his mind.

* * *

Back at the Son household everyone was still in shock over what just happened. Bra and Marron held on to Vegeta and #18, respectively, still scared from what they had witnessed. Before Videl could get to Pan she became burdened with the physical weight of her mother-in-law who had begun to faint and fall into her arms. Videl's motherly instincts went into overdrive and she quickly became overwhelmed as she was unable to get to her daughter. Fortunately, Bulma was nearby and took over in supporting Chi-Chi as Videl went and picked up Pan. Bulma and Ox-King then helped Chi-Chi to the nearest sofa so she would not collapse on the floor.

As this occurred Krillin darted towards his best friend to see if he was all right.

Goten started to follow in pursuit but was halted when Piccolo grabbed his shoulder.

The Namekian looked him square in the eyes. "Tell him no matter what he does, he must not follow us." The only time Piccolo had ever talked to Goten like that was during battle. Therefore he knew this was not a request… it was an order.

Before giving Goten a chance to respond Piccolo was out the door, shedding his weighted clothing, and in flight towards Gohan. He had already lost too much time and was worried that he would not be able to catch up with his former protégé. All he could do was push himself to fly fast and hope to get Gohan as soon as possible.

As he watched Piccolo take off, Goten did not take time to reflect on what he had just been told but rather immediately took off in the opposite direction, towards his father.

* * *

"What have I done?" Gohan thought to himself as his mind became bombarded with images and thoughts of what had just occurred.

**(Goku's voice)** "Hey you guys made 'ME' cake?"

"AHH… Why did he have to show up?"

**(Gohan's id)** "He deserved it."

"No, it was my fault."

**(Gohan's id)** "He was finally put in his place."

**(Goku's voice)** "Oh boy, had I know you guys were going to make me a cake I might have come home earlier."

After a while the thoughts became too powerful for Gohan. He stopped in mid-air from his flight and began to cry.

"I should have never struck him."

**(Gohan's id)** "The baka deserved it and you know it."

Gohan grabbed his head.

"I've ruined everything."

**(Gohan's id)** "He's the one who ruined everything. He is worthless garbage."

**(Goku's voice)** "It's Friday… no wait… Saturday."

**(Gohan's id)** "What kind of father forgets his own son's birthday. He doesn't deserve a family of any kind."

"Stop!"

**(Gohan's id)** "He should be glad you didn't kill him. You would have been perfectly justified."

"STOP!!!"

**(Gohan's id)** "Face it, the world would be better without his sorry ass and you know it."

**(Goku's voice)** "I am going back to Uub's village Monday and I need to ask- oh there you are Satan-san, we need more money for Uub's training…"

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Gohan screamed as his mind became too much for him to handle. He grabbed his head in an attempt to control the thoughts. Everything seemed to be spiraling out of control and he was having a hard time maintaining sanity. This stress caused his power started to fluctuate again. The land below him began to tremble as small debris started to blow away from the force he was generating.

* * *

Piccolo was focused on Gohans ki so he was able to sense when the demi-saiyan had halted his flight. He knew that Gohan stopping so soon was not a good sign and he began to feel anxious about the situation. Then he felt Gohans power increase greatly. Anxiety soon turned into started to panic for the Namekian; he did not like the looks of this. He knew very well that Gohan's power relied heavily on emotion. It had been that way ever since Gohan was young. He was worried that given what Gohan had just experienced, he may have a hard time controlling his power.

Piccolo knew he had to hurry.

* * *

At the Son household Goten had made his way over to his father who was starting to get up from the rubble his impact had caused.

"Tousan!" He said with concern as he helped Krillin support his father.

Goku grabbed his head as he tried to regain composure.

"Ugh…" He moaned. "Wha-What happened?" He was still rather dazed and relied heavily on the support that his son and best friend were providing.

Krillin and Goten looked at each other.

"Let's just get you back inside Goku." Krillin replied. He and Goten proceeded to help Goku back into the house. They seated him on the sofa adjacent to Chi-Chi, who was still out cold.

By the time he became fully coherent a wet rag had been placed on his forehead. Several people were crowded around him and Chi-Chi while a few others patched up the hole in the side of the house to serve as a temporary fix.

"Wha-What happened? Why is Chi-Chi on the sofa?" He asked again, sounding more conscious this time around.

A few awkward looks were shared. How do you tell someone that your son just knocked you through a wall and then took off? Goku looked around at everybody confused. Eventually Krillin spoke up.

"Goku,… Chi-Chi's fine, she just fainted… but you… you were punched."

"Huh?"

"Goku,… there is no easy way to say this but…" Krillin continued but what cut off by Vegeta.

"Your son knocked you out!" He exclaimed in a rather harsh tone.

Everyone became tense. They were hoping to deliver the news a little bit more lightly.

Goku then looked at Goten. "Goten, you have to let me know if you want to spar?"

"NOT HIM YOU BAKA, YOUR OTHER SON!!!" Vegeta yelled. He became irritated by his fellow Saiyans complete lack of awareness.

The young ones became upset again and started to cry.

"VEGETA!" Bulma yelled, which did not help the situation.

Before anything else could be said to upset them it was decided that Bra, Marron, and Pan be brought into the other room. It was Ox-King, #18, Mr. Satan, and Buu who guided them to an area where the chibis would have a chance to calm down.

After they had left Goku looked back up at Krillin. "But… why?"

"A lot's changed since you left Goku. Plus today… well today is Gohan's birthday. This party was his Birthday Party." Krillin explained, still trying to give the news to his friend as lightly as possible.

Goku began thinking back to what he had said when he first arrived.

"So, this was for Gohan, not me?" He was beginning to realize his mistakes (for that night at least).

"No Goku." Bulma interjected. "We had no idea you were even coming."

The Saiyan looked down in guilt. "Where did he go? I should go talk to him."

"Tousan… I don't think right now is a good time." Goten returned.

Goku felt persistent. "I'm sure it will be ok if I just talk to me." He stood up from his chair.

"Tousan no!" Goten said in a rather stern voice, which surprised not only Goku but himself. "Piccolo went after Gohan. He told me not to let you follow them."

Goku was severely confused at this point. All he wanted to do was talk to his son. It was just a misunderstanding… right?

"Why?" He questioned. "Isn't it best to talk these things out."

Master Roshi took a step towards Goku and shook his head. "Not in this case Goku…" His tone was serious.

"A lot has changed since you've been gone." Yamcha added.

Not a second later they all felt a power spike. Everyone faced toward the horizon in the direction of the power source.

"It's Gohan." Trunks exclaimed with shock. He knew Gohan had been training but this power was well beyond what he imagined.

Goten could sense that Gohan's power was unstable and that he was losing control over it. It was then he understood why Piccolo had been so adamant Goku not follow them. Piccolo knew that Gohan was highly emotional when Goku arrived and if he had followed his son it would have only made things worse. Therefore, in an effort to reiterate Piccolo's orders Goten looked back at his father with a serious face. Nothing was said but Goku was able to get the message. Despite his confusion, and his temptation to get to Gohan, he knew he had to trust what everyone was saying and stay put.

* * *

"AHHHHH!!!!!!" Gohan screamed as he continued to let out his frustration.

**(Gohan's id)** "He doesn't care about you. He never cared about you."

"Shut up!"

**(Gohan's id)** "He only cares about himself."

"I said SHUT UP!!!"

Gohan couldn't take anymore of what was going on in his mind. He charged up and threw his body to a pile of boulders that had rested on the ground of the mountainous region below him. Rubble shot through the air as he made impact and, as he charged up again, all the boulders surrounding him shot off in opposite directions. Gohan began to pound his fists into the ground shaking the land and bloodying his hands. He was so angry he didn't even recognize Piccolo as he reached the vicinity.

"Gohan!" The Namekian yelled but to no avail. His former protégé was fueled by anger, too distracted by the internal struggle he was facing about his feelings towards his father.

"GOHAN!!" Piccolo yelled again. He was struggling to stand his ground because he was being blown by the strong winds that Gohan was creating from his power. As he fought to get closer he saw the emotion in Gohans face. He had never seen him like that before and it scared him. He realized this wasn't just anger… this was hatred.

"Why?" Gohan began to mutter. "Why! Why!! WHY!!" He said raising his voice and pounding harder and harder into the ground. He was beginning to see that his father would never be the father he had wanted. His carefree demeanor towards him had been altered. Years of pain and suppressed emotions were finally coming to a head. Just as Piccolo suspected, Gohan soon realized that he wasn't just angry at Goku… he hated him.

The pain that Gohan had built up over his lifetime from his fathers actions, the pain that came with never knowing when Goku was going to be there or not, the pain of the endless guilt that he had after the cell games, all came out at once causing something to happen that had not happened in years. As Gohan let out another scream of anger his eyes turned green and his hair flashed gold. His power went through the roof.

The power Gohan unleashed created a forceful wave that obliterated his surroundings and caused Piccolo to be thrown back several hundred feet. When Piccolo finally regained his composure he stared in disbelief as he saw Gohan transform into his Super Saiyan phase. His power was incredible and still rising.

Gohan had just defied what Rou Dai Kaioshin had told him. He became a Super Saiyan even in his permanent Mystic stage. It was a transformation that was not in his control, rather is was controlled by a mixture of emotion and heredity. And he was not just 'wasting energy like Rou Dai Kaioshin had suggested, he was actually gaining power, like he was turning Super Saiyan for the first time.

Piccolo continued to stare in disbelief at what he was witnessing. Suddenly he became worried again. He could sense that the power was taking a toll on Gohan's body, but Gohan wasn't stopping.

"Gohan! STOP!!" Piccolo yelled but again in vain. Gohan was too consumed with emotion that everything else had been blocked out.

The Namekian then started to fight against the forces created by Gohan, as he made his way towards him. He knew he had to act fast, if the power became too much for Gohan and went out of control it could easily destroy, not only the demi-saiyan himself, but also the entire world.

Piccolo was exerting a tremendous amount of energy just to get to Gohan. The closer he got the harder it became to get even closer… but he prevailed.

Finally, he was within a few feet of him and saw that Gohan's eyes had glazed over and his body was trembling; all control had been lost. Piccolo made one last attempt to yell to get Gohans attention. When it didn't work Piccolo knew he had no choice, he resorted to plan B. The Namekian pulled his arm back and punched Gohan, forcing him out of his dazed state and into a pillar 100 feet away.

The strong winds stopped as debris began to settle. The dangerous energy created by Gohan had been extinguished.

Piccolo heaved in and out as he stood amongst the ruins. Once he caught his breath he flew over to where he had knocked Gohan.

Right before he reached the rubble he saw Gohan stagger out. He had a faint aura surrounding his body as his power began to dwindle from exhaustion. It then started to flicker on and off like a dying light bulb as Gohan tripped over his feet and fell forward. Piccolo was quick to catch him.

"Gohan."

The demi-saiyan tried to get past his former mentor but Piccolo held onto him. He tried to force Gohan to face him but Gohan had his head down.

"Gohan!"

Gohan just continued to stare at the ground. I few seconds passed by before he spoke.

"I hate him." He muttered. "I hate my father." He voice was soft but just thinking about his Goku, and the fact that he had just referred to him as his father, made him angry again.

"I HATE HIM!!" He shouted as he was enveloped by a bright aura again only to have it smothered by his incredible fatigue. Piccolo supported him, again, as they both came to rest on their knees.

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." Gohan repeated over and over as he lightly pounded his fists into Piccolos chest. It wasn't long before he started to heavily sob on Piccolos chest. He had truly been broken down at this point.

The scene reminded Piccolo of when he first met Gohan after the battle with Raditz; vulnerable and scared. Now, inside this grown man that lay crying in front of him, were the remnants of that little boy who missed his daddy and the times they used to share.

"I can't… I can't do this Piccolo-san." Gohan said as he started to calm down. He breathing was deep but he managed to speak in-between breaths. He looked up at Piccolo. "I can't forgive him… I can't do it. He's hurt me too much… I can never forgive him."


	11. Chapter 10: Much Needed Privacy

A/N: So this was an incredibly hard chapter to write. I knew that I wanted chapter 8 to end the way it did but I never really put much thought into what would happen afterwards until I sat down to write this chapter. It may be a little short but I have worked and worked on this trying to make everything fit write. I even found myself writing and rewriting paragraphs several times. I came up with several different situations and decided I liked this one best and so hopefully you guys will enjoy it. As always constructive criticism is always welcomed. Have a happy Holidays and enjoy!

**Chapter 10: Much Needed Privacy**

It was 9:00 pm at the Son household and everyone was a little on edge. It had been over 20 minutes since they felt Gohan's power level spike and since then… nothing.

Everything had been rather silent since then. A few of the Z warriors found themselves pacing the room trying to think of the next appropriate action to take. Should they go and search for Piccolo and Gohan? Should they wait until they got back? Should they leave and give the Son family some privacy? Nobody knew what to do.

"Krillin." Goku said as stood up from his seat. He was beginning to become impatient.

"Krillin, what's been going on? What is this all about?"

Everyone looked up at Goku and then to Krillin, wondering how he was going to respond. Krillin looked up at his friend and tried to think of where he should begin.

"Well… umm… I guess I should say this started about a year ago… after the tournament." He kept trying to search for the right words but couldn't find them. He was never very good at delivering unpleasant news. However, before he could continue a small moan came from the couch beside Goku.

"Chi-Chi!" Bulma shot up as she rushed to her best friends side. Goku and Goten made their way to the couches edge and lingered there as they watched the fainted woman begin to wake up.

"Okasan… are you alright?" Goten asked.

Chi-Chi, still in a dazed state, looked at the faces that stared down at her. "I'm-I'm OK… I…"

She saw Goku's face and then reality hit her.

"Goku!" She shot up and then proceeded to look around frantically as she started to remember what had happened.

"Where's Gohan? Are you OK? Is he OK?"

Bulma grabbed her shoulders. "Chi-Chi you need calm down… not much has changed. Piccolo went after him but we haven't heard anything since."

Chi-Chi sat back on the couch. She was clearly still stressed about the situation. But even though she was frazzled, Goku desperately needed answers.

"Chi-Chi what is going on? Why did Gohan hit me?" He asked. His voice showed genuine concern, as well as genuine confusion, for the situation.

Chi-Chi looked up at her husband and her eyes began to tear up. "I-I'm so sorry. I never dreamed that this would happen, that it would be like this."

"Be like what? What happened?" Goku questioned further.

"You left!" Goten said in a matter-of-fact tone as he stood up and walked to the window. Now for all he knew his brother had left too.

"What?" Goku asked as he stood up as well.

Goten turned around to face his father. "You left, that's why he's mad at you. Last year when you left with Uub to train you barely said goodbye to any of us. Everything was so sudden and none of us had any idea when you were going to be back. It wasn't until a week later when ni-chan told us he had had enough. He was so upset we had to convince him to sit down and talk with you when you got back… but now…" Goten began to lose focus on his words. He didn't know how to say that now it might all be ruined after his fathers 'entrance'.

Videl, who had remained rather quiet, recognized her brother-in-law was struggling.

"It's been a very emotional year Goku." She spoke up. "And I think you just happened to come back at a bad time."

Goku was at a complete loss for words. Never in a million years had he expected to be hearing this. He just never suspected anything was wrong… but then again he had never been around long enough to know.

The air was tense in the Son household as everything got quiet again. Nobody knew quite what to say, then again nobody quite knew what to think. Things became increasingly uncomfortable by the second.

During the silence Trunks looked down at his watch. "Hey!" He exclaimed which grabbed everyone's attention. "It's been over 30 minutes since we felt the power spike. Should we go make sure nothing's happened?"

"Why do you think something's happened?" Chi-Chi began to worry.

"Chi-Chi I'm sure nothing bad has happened." Bulma said trying to reassure her friend. "But they (Trunks and Goten) can go and make sure."

"Come on Goten." Trunk motioned for his friend to follow him.

"There's no need." Goku interrupted making Trunks stop in front of the door. "I can feel their ki's. They are on their way back."

Vegeta closed his eyes to concentrate. "…He's right. It's faint but based on their ki's they aren't hurt…" He then opened his eyes again. "… and they are on their way here."

Before anything else could be said Bulma took action. "Then I think it's best if we leave."

"Nani?!" Videl and Chi-Chi questioned together.

Bulma looked at them and Goten and Goku. "When they get back you all will need to talk and this is a very personal matter. Therefore I think it's best if we give you some privacy."

Everyone found themselves nodding in agreement. One by one the guests began to say their goodbyes to the family. It was a rather awkward departure for everyone given the circumstances but they all knew it was the best thing to do. This was a matter for the Son family to discuss.

* * *

As she watched last hover-car, which carried Krillin and his family and Master Roshi, fly off into the night sky Videl took a deep breath. She didn't know what was going to happen next and that aspect scared her.

Despite her anxiety, Videl knew that she had to plan ahead. If Gohan came back and was exposed to Goku right away that may be disastrous. She felt she should talk to him first. Therefore, she thought it would be best if Chi-Chi, Goku, and Goten went over to their house and wait until Gohan came to them. Videl conveyed this message to them and although she didn't mention that it might be disastrous otherwise that thought was in everyone's mind.

Goku just nodded his head in agreement and then he and his family went into their house.

Since everyone had decided to leave, the Saiyan had been rather quiet. He was still trying to take in and make sense of what he had been told. It had not been his intention to hurt anyone but somehow his leaving had caused a giant rift among his relationship with his family.

The more he thought about it the more serious the issue became. Goku was only beginning to realize the consequences his actions took but this still lead him to feel something he had not felt in a long time; regret.

As he closed the door to his house he had no idea that soon he would learn just how regretful he really was.

After watching Goku close the door behind him Videl made her way to her house. As soon as she reached the doorway she heard something behind her. She quickly turned around to see that Gohan and Piccolo had landed a few meters away.

Gohan's shirt was a bit tattered and a few loose bits dangled in the cool night wind. His head was down in shame for his actions and he knew that his appearance did not help him.

"Gohan…" Videl muttered as she tried to think about what to say to him.

Gohan looked at her standing in the doorway and noticed that the party had dispersed.

"Where did everyone go?" He asked. His voice was ridden with guilt as he feared that everyone now was going to shun him for what he had done. Just one more way his father had… no… he had to take responsibility for his actions.

Before another internal struggle could manifest itself in the demi-saiyan's mind Videl answered his question.

"They went home… they wanted to give us time tonight to discuss this manner-"

"Where is he?" Gohan cut her off. He did not mean to be rude but on the flight home he realized that he needed to confront his father. He had a few things he had to get off his chest.

"They're waiting in the kitchen in their house b-" She was cut off again but this time by Gohan walking at a fast face towards the house. His face held the same look of hurt and anger that he had had right before he punched his father. Videl did not want to repeat that scene again.

"Gohan!" Both Videl and Piccolo shouted as they got ahead of him and blocked his path.

"Gohan what are you going to do?" Videl scowled at him. She thought she might get through to him by giving him her 'don't you dare' look but deep down inside she was scared; she knew and he knew it.

Gohan looked at Piccolo and then Videl. "Talk… I want to talk. Look," He said gently grabbing her shoulders to help reassure her. "I am so ashamed of the way I acted earlier. I never wanted to do anything to hurt anyone but my emotions took control over me. I messed up big time and…" His voice was beginning to crack. He was truly sorry for what he had done and knew how scared everyone must have been at that point. "… and I am so sorry for what I did. I- I made a very big mistake that I feel I may never let down."

Tears started to make their way down his ivory cheeks.

"Gohan." Videl said softly trying to comfort him.

He wiped his eyes on his sleeves as he tried to regain his composure.

"But I understand his role in this. That is why I have to go in there. There are a few things I have to get off my chest and I have to let him know that… that I can't do this anymore with him. He's caused too much pain and… I've realized that I can no longer forgive him." With that Gohan strode past them as he wiped tears from his face again.

Videl stood there for a second as she began to see any hope, of her husband salvaging his relationship with his father, destroyed. She looked at Piccolo almost as if to she was expecting him to do something to make everything all better but Piccolo knew there was nothing he could do. He saw the hurt in Gohan's eyes and whatever happened next was out of his control. After a few seconds of wishing for a miracle Videl decided to catch up to her husband and be at his side for when he spoke with his father. Right before she reached him is when he threw open the front door to his former house…

… and for the second time that night Gohan came face to face with his father.


	12. Chapter 11:Conversations of the Domestic

A/N: Hello, I hope everyone is doing good and have had a happy holidays. I wanted to get one more chapter in before the new year. This chapter was really hard to get through but I think I am satisfied with the results. After awhile of staring at the same thing for hours on end I start to question myself on everything so I will leave it up to you guys to tell me what you like/don't like. Again constructive criticism is always welcome.

I would like to give a special shout out to Itachi's apprentice *hands chocolate bar*, Afiong Bassey, vegeta997, Death Goblin, Vegeta and Bulma fan, Makai Alexa (I have been reading what you have written and have tried to incorporate your advice, hopefully you've seen a change as the story has progressed *smiley*), Lourdes-Sunrise-Princess, otogii, Marie Nomad, Lovelysinner7, and the many others who have reviewed my work (Sorry if I didn't mention you, it doesn't mean I don't appreciate your reviews, it just means I'm tired… zzzzzz). I greatly enjoy reading EVERYONE'S reviews each time I upload a new chapter ^-^

One last thing Ogiichan=grandpa and Obaachan= grandma….. sorry if the ending has too much Japanese. I've been watching Dragonball Kai recently and it's been stuck in my head :P

**Chapter 11: Conversations of the Domestic**

"GOHAN!" The three members of the Son family said in unison as they saw the demi-saiyan standing in the doorway.

Goku sat up from his chair. "Gohan liste-" He tried to start but was cut off his son.

"Please… don't." Gohan returned harshly. His fists were clenched and he had an angered look on his face. "We don't hear a word from you for an entire year. Not one word! And then today you come back into all of our lives and expect everything to be OK, even after you left us. I guess the worst part of it is that you not only forgot it was my birthday, but you came into my party and made it about you, because it's always been about you hasn't it?! My entire life you have been nothing but a selfish, self-centered, poor excuse for a father!!" Gohan was hurt and angered by the things his father had done and now he was finally getting a chance to express his true feelings. However not everyone approved of his tone.

"Son Gohan!" Chi-Chi tried to scold him. She wasn't going to defend her husband's actions that had caused so much hurt but she wasn't going to let Gohan talk to his father that way. This was not the conversation she was expecting them to have.

But Gohan was just getting started.

He looked at his mother apologetically. "I'm sorry Ka-san but it's true." He then pointed to Goku. "He has never taken on any responsibility as a parent."

At this point Videl had reached the doorway and was next to Gohan. Piccolo was close behind her but maintained his distance from what was occurring in the house.

"Gohan, I have tried to do what was best to protect this family and this planet. My first thought has always been the safety of everyone in this room and our friends." Goku said calmly but defensively.

A few tears were starting to form in Gohan's eyes because, while he was glad to be getting these things off his chest, he knew he was about to dive deep into his past; a past of hurt. However, he had priorities to take care of first and he turned to his wife.

"I don't want Pan to be alone in the house after everything that's happened. Can you be with her while I talk with him."

"My dad stayed behind with Buu and your grandfather. They are taking care of her." Videl replied.

He looked at her intensely. "Are you sure you want to be here for this?"

She gave him an equally intense stare and nodded.

She could tell all he wanted to do was to protect her but she refused to leave. No matter what she would stay by his side.

Gohan turned back to his father. The expression of anger and pain returned to his face.

"You say you have done your best to protect Earth and this family but all you've done is abandon us time and time again. So much of my childhood has been spent wondering where you were and when you were coming back. I even started to blame myself for your absence, thinking it was something I did to make you not want to come back, but I now realize it was because you were a coward."

Goku was taken aback. He never had expected his son to say any of the things that he had just said. His expression became serious.

"I never meant for you to blame yourself for my absence. I'm sorry for when I wasn't here but at the time I didn't have a choice."

"Yes you did." Gohan responded promptly as he gritted his teeth. "You chose not to come back after the battle with Frieza, you chose not to come back after the battle with Cell, and you chose to leave last year with Uub and not come back until today, a full year later."

"I did those things one way or another because I wanted to protect this family and this planet." Goku shot back.

"You still don't get it… abandonment is not protection!" Gohan had shut his eyes in a moment of frustration but was quick to open them back up to look at his father again. "You chose what you thought would be the easiest for YOU and you did it without thinking about any alternatives. Your actions left Ka-san to raise two children by herself. How is having a complete disregard for any parental responsibilities, protection?" His power spiked for a second but went back down quickly. His emotions were running high but he remained in control.

Goku became silent. He had never seen his son like this. It scared him to think that this pain his son was expressing was indeed caused by his actions.

Gohan took his father's silence as an opportunity to continue.

"You cannot even begin to imagine the pain you have caused over the years." His voice began to crack with emotion as tears started to make their way down his face. "I trusted you, I put my faith in you, all I wanted was for us to be a family but you… you only wanted to continue fighting. That's why you have consistently made decisions that have put us more in danger… so you could fight."

Everyone let out a collective "Nani?"

"G-Gohan, what are you talking about?" Goku questioned. He was utterly confused as to what his son was referring to.

The demi-saiyan scowled at his father.

"When Trunks came from the future to warn us about the androids it was suggested to try to stop Dr. Gero before he even created them but you said 'No'. You had the chance to stop them before they were able to hurt anyone but you didn't. You didn't care about our safety you just wanted to fight them. That's why we trained for three years when instead we should have been searching for Dr. Gero. Because of your decision Cell was able to complete his transformation and wreck havoc on this entire world. Because of your decision the earth was almost destroyed!"

Goku got silent again as he was met with stares from Videl and Goten who had never heard this information before. They were both wondering why he would make such a dangerous choice that obviously had severe consequences.

"Tousan?" Goten muttered. He was asking for verification and, if so, an explanation.

But Goku did not know what to say. He had originally stated that it wasn't right to go after Dr. Gero because he had not technically done anything wrong yet… but looking back he began to realize that decision was also based on his desire to fight… Gohan was right, he had put his desires before the safety of his family, friends, and even the Earth.

Gohan wasn't even going to bother going into other examples. The expression his father had on his face showed that he understood.

He wiped a few lingering tears from his cheeks as he took a deep breath to address his father once more.

"My entire life you have cause me nothing but pain. You've never been there for me and I now realize that you never will. If you had been around you would know that tomorrow morning we are moving up to North City because of my job."

A shocked expression covered Goku's face. As if this had not been bad enough, Goku would realize nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to hear next.

"Once we move you are to never contact us again!"

"G-Gohan!" Chi-Chi gasped.

Gohan glowered at his father. It was the same look he gave his enemies in battle while he was trying to protect Earth… now he was just trying to protect his daughter from someone who had been his enemy his entire life.

"After seeing Pan cry when you left the tournament last year I made myself a promise; that you would never be allowed to hurt her again. I will not have her suffer the way I suffered."

With that Gohan started to make his way to the door. He was sorry the other members of his family had been dragged into this confrontation but he was more sorry he had let his father cause so much hurt. At least he was stopping it before he harmed anyone else.

"Wait!" Goku shouted as he took a few steps towards his son. Everything seemed so surreal. Less than 5 hours ago he had been free from any worries and now his son was telling him that he never wanted to see him again. What was happening?

As Goku struggled to come to terms with the reality of the situation he was beginning to question all the choices he had made in his life and how they have had an affect on his family and friends. Had he really been as selfish as Gohan made him out to be? The more he questioned himself the more he was filled with guilt over what his son has said. He couldn't let him leave like this, he just couldn't.

"Gohan… I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything. Please… don't leave." Tears started to form in the Saiyan's eyes.

Gohan stared at his father intently. He had waited his whole life to hear those words from him but something was different than what he had expected. This wasn't the same situation that it had been years ago. Things had changed and this was no longer just about him, he had his children to think of. Gohan took a deep breath…

"It's too late." He said fighting back more tears.

Everyone let out a small gasp as they realized what was happening. Chi-Chi leaned against the counter to support herself for what she was about to hear.

After all these years this was really happening.

"Everyone else may forgive you for what you have done but I can't. You've abandoned me for the last time."

He then left the Son Household with the intention of never seeing his father again.

* * *

After he left Gohan went back to his own home with Videl.

As Videl watched him shut the door behind them she realized that any hope she had before of her husband salvaging his relationship with his father had just been destroyed. However, she was starting to understand where her husband was coming from. As he turned toward he she saw the years of hurt in his eyes. While so many things still rushed through her head she found one thing to be clear; she did not blame him for anything he had said tonight.

As they looked at each other in silence both were wondering what the other was thinking. Eventually Videl spoke up.

"Gohan… how come you never told me some of the thing you mentioned in there?"

Gohan looked towards the ground. "I guess I never wanted you to know who my father really was." He paused as his voice cracked again with emotion. "Maybe I never even wanted to admit to myself what type of person he was."

Before they could continue their discussion Mr. Satan walked through the kitchen door.

"Ugh… Is everything OK?" He asked. He had heard them come in and was wondering what the situation was.

Gohan looked up at his father-in-law and put on his best smile.

"It will be Satan-san, it will be. I'm sorry for about what happened earlier. Is everyone OK?"

Mr. Satan nodded his head and tried to make light of the situation. "They're fine. Heck I've managed to cause more ruckus at parties when I was younger BWHAHAHA."

Gohan giggled slightly. After everything that had happened he appreciated his father-in-laws ability joke around (even if his humor was a bit off-beat).

"Where's Pan?" He asked next.

"Huh? Oh, she went up upstairs to her room. Ox-King was helping her get ready for bed." Mr. Satan replied.

"Ah, I better go see her." Gohan said as he excused himself. As he made his way upstairs he became increasingly nervous about how his daughter was going to react to him after everything that had happened. All he wanted to do was protect her but tonight he had let her down. He didn't know what he would do if she hated, or even feared him, after what happened. Being a father meant everything to him and he hoped his actions that night had not jeopardized his relationship with her.

While Gohan made his way upstairs Mr. Satan moved closer to his daughter.

"What happened?" He asked, his voice showing obvious concern.

"Apparently more than I ever knew." Videl replied. She was still taking in much of what happened but in the mean time she was able to explain the details to her father.

* * *

As Gohan ventured the upstairs hallway he noticed a dim light coming from the guest room. Since he did not hear any voices he approached silently. When he reached the door he saw his grandfather on the big recliner with his daughter curled up next to him. The storybook that lay across Ox-King's chest suggested that the two had fallen asleep while reading a story together. It was not the first time Gohan had encountered the two like this and he hoped it wouldn't be the last.

A soft smile covered his face as he entered the room and gently placed the book on the nightstand. He then proceeded to dim the light some more and, ever so carefully, picked up Pan and carried her to her room.

As he unfolded the sheets and placed his daughter in her bed he noticed how peaceful she looked. Her demeanor now was in stark contrast to the events that had taken place earlier that day. He hoped that she would never have to go through something like that again.

Gohan brushed back a few stray stands of hair from his daughter's face as he finished tucking her into bed.

"I hope you aren't angry with me Pan-chan." He whispered. "I love you and would never do anything to hurt you. I'm so sorry for what happened today."

A single tear made it's way down his cheek as he further beat himself up on the inside for what he had done.

He sighed and gently kissed his daughter on the forehead before turning towards the door.

"Otousan?" Pan said half-asleep.

"Eh?" Gohan turned around to see his daughter staring up at him.

"Otousan." She repeated this time holding out her arms in search for a hug.

"Pan-chan." He returned as he knelt down and embraced his daughter. "Pan-chan, I'm so sorry for what happened. I'm so sorry for scaring you."

"It's OK Otousan… I'm not mad at you." They pulled away from their hug and Gohan looked at his daughter. He realized she had heard him whispering.

"But-But why did you hit ogiichan?" She asked as a sad look came across her face.

Gohan looked at his daughter sympathetically. How was he supposed to explain the situation to her?

He sighed deeply as he searched for the words.

"Ogiichan really hurt me today… actually ogiichan has hurt me a lot… and when I saw him today I got really angry and did something really stupid."

Pan looked at her father quizzically. "How did ogiichan hurt you?"

"Well… do you remember last year when he left during the tournament?"

Pan nodded.

"And do you remember how sad it was to see him leave?"

Again Pan nodded.

"Well when I was your age ogiichan would constantly be gone somewhere else instead of being home with obaachan and me. He did this a lot and never explained where he was going or when he would be back. This made me very sad because I he chose not to be with me and obaachan but rather go off somewhere else. And then when I was 10 he left for seven years leaving obaachan to raise me and Goten by herself."

Gohan had to take a deep breath to focus on his words. He could tell his daughter was a little bothered by this news. She had not been told yet about Cell and the occurrences during those times.

"When he left at the tournament last year it reminded me of all the times he left during my childhood and how sad that made me. So when I saw him today I became very upset with him because he had been gone so long and didn't seem to care. I lost control and did something I shouldn't have. I'm very sorry Pan-chan."

Pan thought deeply for a moment and then spoke up. "It's OK Otousan." She said patting his shoulder. "I understand. I'm sorry ogiichan made you so upset."

"It's not your fault Pan. Ogiichan…" He had to pause. How exactly was he going to say this? "Ogiichan has done some things that have really hurt me and I-I just don't want to see him hurt you the same way. That is after tomorrow we aren't going to see Ogiichan for a very long time."

"Nani!?" Pan exclaimed as she started to well up. Even though he had sugar coated the news she was still troubled by this revelation. As Gohan expected she still did not fully understand the situation, but then again how could she. She still knew so little of what Goku was capable of.

"Listen Pan," Gohan said sympathetically. "I know it may seem bad right now but I'm doing this because I want to protect you. Ogiichan is not someone who I can trust and I don't want to see you get hurt by him."

Before Pan could continue to protest Videl came into the room.

"Pan-chan what's the matter?" She asked soothingly.

"Otousan said we can't see ogiichan after we move." Pan cried.

Videl made her way over to the bed. She looked at her husband as if she was thinking hard on the subject and then turned to her daughter.

"Well Pan, otousan has been hurt a lot by ogiichan and he doesn't want you to be hurt like he was."

"But… but…" Pan started to plead again.

"I know Pan, but even I didn't know a lot of things until just recently. This is a very complex situation and your just going to have to trust us on this. OK Pan-chan?"

Pan looked down without knowing what else to say. She didn't exactly understand what was going on but she trusted her parents.

"Hai." She muttered.

Videl let out a weak smile. She had just managed to convince her daughter that not seeing Goku was for the best but she still felt conflicted on the issue.

Even after she and Gohan said goodnight to their daughter Videl felt that something was amiss. She obviously knew Gohan was hurt, and that he was dedicated to his decision, but she felt as if she was missing more of the story. She didn't know if it was because he was trying to protect his family or if he was so hurt that he didn't want to talk about it more, but there was no doubt in her mind, he had held back during his confrontation with his father.

There were things he wasn't telling her.


	13. Chapter 12: Leaving 439 East District

A/N This is one of those chapters that I had sort of planned out since the begining. I did add a lot more than I thought I would so tell me if it seems cramped together. I will say that I haven't really thought too much about what the next few chapters are going to be like. I definetly have some key points I want to cover but... well... we will see how is all comes out. Enjoy for now.

**Chapter 12: Leaving ****439 East District**

Despite (or perhaps because of) all the stress he had been under, Gohan was the first to wake up in his household.

The demi-saiyan crept through the hall, passing his daughter's room and the two guest rooms where Ox-King, Mr. Satan, and Buu slept. To prevent himself from creating any noise he hovered a few inches above the ground as he descended to the lower level of the house.

Greeting him were decorations of the previous night along with a table full of presents that had yet to be opened… and then there was the wall.

Gohan made his way to the back of the house where the temporary wall had been put up to cover the damages of when he hit his father through the side of his house. As he brushed his hand over the various cracks that had been made from the impact he sighed. Even though his father had pushed him, it was his fault for losing control and he had to take responsibility for that.

After his inspection of the damage he checked his watched.

"8:13 am" He muttered aloud and then looked up towards the study. From his angle he could see his desk with the phone resting on top of it. He knew what he had to do. All of his friends would be up right now and no doubt would be wondering what had happened after they left.

He nodded to himself as he walked into the study and prepared to call everyone in apology.

* * *

Meanwhile, another demi-saiyan was just waking up.

Son Goten yawned as he stretched in his bed. The morning sun seeping in through his window had pestered him enough to get up. He was still apprehensive about leaving the comfort of his bed though. The events from the previous night had taken its toll on everyone and he was certainly no exception. The things his brother had pointed out about their father made him rethink a lot of what he previously thought he knew. It was this 're-evaluation' that kept him up late into the night. He only succumbed to sleep because of sheer mental exhaustion.

But it was now the morning after, and the more conscious Goten became the more reality sunk in. Everything that happened last night was real and not a dream.

The demi-saiyan sighed heavily as he began to wonder what today would hold. Gohan was not only moving but he was also cutting out their father from his life. At this point it was anyone's guess if this issue would resolve itself or if today would be the last day Gohan ever saw his father again.

Despite how extreme that idea had sounded to him last year, Goten was now beginning to better understand where his brother was coming from. He had not known many things until last night. Family secrets were starting to come out and everyone had been given a different perspective on events that had occurred in the past.

What Gohan had to say even made him re-think his first impression of his father. Growing up he had only known this so called 'Goku' through pictures and stories he had heard from friends and family. To him, Gohan and Piccolo had been more like father figures than brother and mentor, respectively. When his real father appeared it took the young demi-saiyan quite some time to think of him as a father rather than something like an uncle who just appeared one day. But now, with these new revelations, he was starting to regress back to that stage of uncertainty. For the first time in a long time he was questioning… 'Just who is Son Goku?'

After getting dressed, Goten sighed heavily again and ventured out of his room. As he made his way to the kitchen he ruffled his hair and wiped the sleep away from his eyes. When he opened them again he saw his father sitting at the end of the kitchen table with a pensive look as he stared at his cup of tea.

"Tousan?" He said, rather surprised his father was up this early, given what happened last night.

"Morning Goten." Goku responded without even looking up. His voice was solemn just like his demeanor.

"Good morning." Goten returned without much enthusiasm. He didn't know quite what to say. After a short pause he finished walking into the kitchen and opened the cupboard to fix himself some breakfast.

It was an awkward moment between the two. Goten realized that he felt angered, and at the same time sympathetic, towards his father. Therefore he didn't even know where to begin in conversation. The only thing he knew was that in time he would forgive his fathers actions… but he couldn't force his brother to do the same.

As Goten pour his cereal Goku felt the internal struggle of emotions that his son was going through. However, he didn't know where to start either. There was even still a little part of him thinking, or perhaps hoping, that this was something that was being blown out of proportion, that Gohan had just had a bad day and had taken it out on him. But he knew that wasn't true.

Finally the Saiyan decided he had to say something, no matter how short it was.

"Goten," He muttered, still not looking up.

"Eh?" His son turned towards him.

Goku was still pensive but came out with it anyway.

"I'm sorry."

Goten stared at his father for a moment. This simple phrase helped to balance the mixture of feeling he was having… to an extent. He knew the apology was genuine, but there were somethings in life that only time could heal. There was only one way he felt he could respond.

"I know." He muttered back and then continued making his breakfast.

* * *

"Alright… goodbye Yamcha-san." Gohan said as he hung up the phone. Letting out a deep breath, he leaned back in his chair. He had just finished calling everyone to apologize for his actions last night and also to explain the situation. It was incredibly difficult to tell everyone what was now going on, but he felt they had a right to know. For some of his friends it involved a lengthy conversation similar to what he and Videl had many times before. There was no doubt that everyone wanted everything to go back to normal but he knew that wasn't going to happen, and as they talked so did everyone else. However, as he talked with his friends, many of them, like Goten, were beginning to better understand where he came from. They found that even if they disagreed with how he was handling the situation, they could not blame him for how he was feeling. In the end everyone realized that this was his choice to make all they could do was provide emotional support for whoever would need it. It's what friends do.

Gohan checked the time on his watch. 9:37 am. He had spent over an hour on the phone calling everyone up. He knew, however, that discussion would not stop there but it did for today… or so he thought.

Standing up from his desk Gohan started to make his way back into the living room. His family would be up soon and they still needed to get a few things together before they moved out by 11:00. As he opened the door a familiar figure was sitting in a nearby chair, waiting for him.

"Ogiichan!" The demi-saiyan gasped. He did not hear his grandfather come down the stairs (and for Ox-King that's saying something) nor did he expect him to be right outside his study.

Without saying anything Ox-King stood up, walked toward his grandson, and embraced him in a hug.

It caught Gohan completely by surprise but, after he realized that his grandfather had been listening and was aware of what was going on, he returned the hug.

"Gohan." Ox-King spoke after a moment. His voice, like many others, showed concern. They broke from their hug and he looked down at his grandson.

"I want you to know that I'm not going to judge your decision on what you think is best for your family. No matter what you will always have my support" He then sighed while his grandson continued to stare up at him.

"But I hope in the future you will be able to give your father another chance. Despite what you might think, he does care for you."

Gohan looked down to advert his eyes away from his grandfather.

"I can't." He said after a brief moment. "There is just no way I can forgive him. And he doesn't care for me. He's showed that through his actions."

Ox-King looked at him sympathetically. "I know he hasn't been around much throughout your life but people can change. All of this might change him."

Gohan let a light smile cross his face. "If only it were that simple."

"Huh?" Ox-King gave a confused look.

The demi-saiyan looked back up at his grandfather. "It's not just him being absent. It's much more than that… There are things that you don't know about which-" But he was unable to finish.

"Gohan." Videl shouted as she came down the stairs, unknowingly interrupting the conversation. She then turned around to see her husband and grandfather-in-law in the hallway.

Before she could ask what was going on, Gohan spoke up. "Hey, you're up. I hope we didn't wake you."

Videl shook her head. "No… no, I woke up naturally.

We better hurry and pack the remaining things. We have to be at the new place by 4:00 pm remember."

Videl nodded.

Gohan smiled. "Yosh. Why don't you wake up everyone else, I will get the kitchen, ogiichan can get the living room, and we can work from there. That sound good?"

Ox-King slightly nodded, not really knowing what else to do, while Videl agreed and went back upstairs.

Gohan turned to his grandfather, acting like the conversation they just had never happened, and explained, "There are empty capsules for the furniture in the desk. Everything should be label but if you need me you know where to find me." And with that he made his way into the kitchen leaving Ox-King a little confused as to what his grandson had just mentioned.

What did he mean 'There are things you don't know…'?

* * *

11:00 am

The sun gleamed through the cloudless sky as the moment of departure arrived. There was a great juxtaposition between the beautiful Spring day and the event that was taking place between the two houses at the mountain base. This would be the most heart-wrenching goodbye any of them ever had to face… well, the second most heart-wrenching goodbye.

Videl and Pan began to say their goodbyes to Chi-Chi, Goten, and Ox-King (who was staying at the Son Household for the day). Behind them, Gohan, with the help of his father-in-law and Buu, was placing the last of the moving boxes in the hovercar. Nearby Piccolo, who had come to see Gohan off, leaned against the side of his former protégé's house. And lastly there was Goku, leaning against his own house and separated from the main group. He did not want a confrontation with his son but he knew that he couldn't just wait inside while they left. It was a complicated and uncomfortable situation that made the Saiyan, for the first real time in his life, feel completely powerless.

"Piccolo-san." Gohan called out. "Can you put the house back in the capsule?"

The Namekian simply nodded and pressed the appropriate button on the side of the house. Within an instant all that was left was a tiny capsule surrounded by a circular brown spot where the house had rested for the past several years. It wouldn't take too long before the area was covered with grass. Any traces of where the house use to be would quickly disappear.

Piccolo picked up the small capsule and brought it over to Gohan.

"Arigato Piccolo-san." The demi-saiyan thanked him as he tossed the capsule in a container and shut the side door to the hovercar.

He then began to tremble, which made Piccolo concerned.

"Gohan?" He said in a whisper so as not to draw attention to the young man.

Gohan took a deep breath and then faced his former mentor. "It's alright Piccolo… just glad to be moving…" He then looked around. "A lot of bad memories here."

Piccolo looked at him sympathetically. Even Mt. Paozu, as beautiful as it was, held a painful remembrance for the demi-saiyan.

Things had truly changed.

The two stood in silence for a brief moment and then Gohan embraced Piccolo in a hug.

"Arigato Piccolo-san. You've always been there for me."

Piccolo returned the hug but kept silent. He wasn't one to become too emotional with words but Gohan knew what went unsaid. Piccolo was proud of the man he had become.

They pulled apart. "You know that you're always welcome at our place. We have plenty of room." Gohan added.

Piccolo smiled and nodded.

From afar Goku watched this interaction take place. The fact that his son saw his former rival as his father figure became more apparent to him by the scene that was playing out before him. He began to question, again, what he had done with his life. Years of neglect had finally come to fruition and now he was the one left in the dark. Karma can be a bitch.

After deciding it was now time, Gohan left Piccolo at the hovercar and made his way to Videl's side.

"It's time to go." He declared.

Chi-Chi bit down on her handkerchief as she tried her best to hold back tears.

"Ogiichan." Gohan said as he gave his grandfather a hug. He then moved to his brother.

"Goten…" His voice started to crack. He and Goten had been together from the day Goten was born. And even though his brother was 18 years old, Gohan still saw him as his little baby brother. To say it was hard to say goodbye would be an understatement.

The two brothers embraced in a deep hug as they both shed tears.

"I'm gonna miss you ni-chan." Goten sobbed.

"I'm going to miss you too Goten." Gohan returned. "Make sure to take care of Ka-san for me." He added as they broke from the hug.

Goten nodded through his tears.

Gohan then turned to his mother who was already losing her battle with fighting back her tears.

"Ka-sa-" He started but was interrupted by Chi-Chi.

"Gohan-chan!" She cried as she hugged him, sobbing on his shoulder. Her little boy was leaving after all these years.

"Ka-san." He said soothingly to try and calm her down. "It's going to be OK. We won't be too far away. You will be able to visit us anytime you want."

Chi-Chi continued to sob but eventually gained enough control let go of the tight embrace she had on her son. As she looked into his eyes, and that calming smile across his face, she kept thinking to herself how much her little boy had grown up.

For a moment, they forgot about everything that had happened and remembered the good times rather than the bad… for a moment…

Gohan sighed and looked at Videl. "Alright, I guess we better get going." He then turned to face his daughter. "Ready Pan-cha-?" But she wasn't there. When he looked up he saw his daughter running towards the man that he now referred to as Goku!

"Ogiichan." Pan screamed as tears flew off her cheeks. She realized that couldn't leave without saying goodbye, despite what her father had said about him.

Seeing his daughter run towards his father with tears streaming down her face, Gohan immediately had flashbacks to last year at the Tenkaichi Budokai. It was déjà vu.

"Ogiichan." Pan cried again as she ran into Goku's arms. The Saiyan had been in such deep thought that he hadn't even noticed her until she was about five feet in front of him. He then leaned down and opened his arms to hug her.

Everyone was met with unease as they wondered what was going to happen next.

But of course Gohan knew better; he remained calm. He moved past his family and started walking towards his daughter.

"Ogiichan…" Pan muttered as she wiped tears from her face.

"Pan-chan, don't cry." Goku said trying to comfort her.

"But Otousan said that we won't see you for a very long time."

Goku was taken aback. Gohan had already told her, although it sounds like he sugar coated it.

Pan looked up at him through her tears. "He said you hurt him a lot when he was younger and that he doesn't want you to hurt me."

Guilt, once again consumed Goku. He looked down in shame.

"Why did you hurt otousan, ogiichan?"

Goku looked up into his granddaughter's eyes; she definitely had her father's eyes.

"Well Pan-chan. I haven't been the best father to you're dad. Last night he made me realize that I've made a lot of mistakes and he's upset with me right now because of those mistakes."

"Pan-chan it's time to go." Gohan announced as he reached them.

Pan turned to face her father. "…hai." She then turned back towards Goku and gave him a hug. "I hope everything works out ogiichan." It was whispered but Gohan could still hear it. He saw the connection the two had and, for a second, questioned if he was doing the right thing. It was only for a second though. Memories of how much hurt his father had caused was still ingrained in his head. He knew his father played the innocent type but that is exactly how he won people over. The man would only cause more pain and he would not let his daughter go through that.

"Go say goodbye to Piccolo-san before we take off." Gohan said, with subtle encouragement for her to get away from Goku.

Pan nodded.

"Goodbye ogiichan." She waved and then dashed towards Piccolo to say her goodbyes to him.

Gohan smiled as he saw her daughter run towards Piccolo. He took a few steps towards them when he was interrupted.

"Gohan, wait-" Goku said reaching out his hand to his son's shoulder. Before he made physical contact Gohan stopped.

"Don't even think about touching me." He said without even turning around.

Goku backed off.

"You got to say goodbye. Now please, leave us in peace. You've done enough damage." Gohan then walked back to the hovercar with his father both literally and figuratively behind him.

As he approached the hovercar where everyone else was gathered he saw Pan and Videl saying goodbye to Piccolo.

"Alright, is everyone ready?" Mr. Satan asked as he started up the engine.

He was answered with a collective "Hai!"

Everyone said one last goodbye as the boarded. As the hovercar ascended into the air more waves were shared.

Once the air-vehicle reached an appropriated height Mr. Satan, who was driving, shouted. "Alright, North City here we come."

Recovering the emotional goodbye Gohan and his family all cheered.

As they blasted off Gohan watched Piccolo, his mother, brother, and grandfather until they were no longer visible from the hovercar. After watching the distance fade the demi-saiyan sat back and sighed.

It wouldn't be the last time Goku and Gohan saw each other…

… but it would be the last time Gohan ever saw Mount Paozu!


	14. Chapter 13: Husband and Wife

A/N: Sorry this took so long to update. When you find out that you won't have medical insurance in a few months life seems to get kind of crazy. Oh well, things will work out somehow. I'm just glad I could get this to you all now. It's a chapter that focuses on Chi-Chi and how she is dealing with everything. Enjoy!

**Chapter 13: Husband and Wife**

Seeing his son leave so harshly struck a cord deep within Goku. He felt confused and, ironically, heart broken. The Saiyan had never experienced anything like this. Still he couldn't help feeling there was more to the story and he needed to find out what.

As soon as everyone went back into the house Goku pulled his wife aside.

"Chi-Chi, can we talk?"

The woman had just seen her son leave home in an angry haste and the person responsible for that was asking to talk. She felt angered. At the moment she did not want to even look at her husband. But his voice showed that he wasn't just asking, he was pleading.

"Tousan." She hollered at Ox-King. The giant peaked his head around the corner.

"Can you take Goten to the store and get some things for me?" She continued, providing a list of groceries that she needed. Ox-King could sense of bit of tension in the air and read the unspoken message that his daughter was communicating. Thus, he nodded in response and within a few minutes he and Goten were out the door leaving the couple to talk in peace.

"Chi-Chi… what's been going on? There has to be more to the story for Gohan to be acting like this."

Chi-Chi sighed deeply as she leaned on the counter, looking down. This conversation was really happening, wasn't it.

"Goku, when you left last year he changed…" She then faced her husband. "You know that for a majority of his childhood you have been gone and I think that's taken a toll on him. You leaving last year, out of the blue, seemed to trigger something in him… as if he had had enough." Chi-Chi's voice remained rather cold as she was saying this, but truth be told she had temporarily detached herself from the situation to build up her mental stamina. This had not been an easy time for the Son family.

Goku was silent. He was thinking. Based on what was said earlier he knew Gohan would have talked to him but the events of last night had changed that. But still, he thought, his son would have to talk to him eventually. He just had to let Gohan cool down… right?

It was almost as if Chi-Chi was reading his mind. She walked towards the windowsill, staring out into the wilderness with her arms slightly crossed.

"I dunno Goku. So much has changed. A week after the tournament is when he told us how he felt. I've never seen him so upset…" She began to mumble the end of that last sentence as she thought about the previous night. However, she managed to quickly carry on. "He told us he was determined never to see or speak to you again, but after we talked it out, he changed his mind."

She then turned away from the window to face her husband again. "But that changed last night."

The Saiyan put his head down in shame. He deeply regretted his selfish behavior and wished he could go back and make things right.

"Gomen." He muttered not really knowing what else to say. It was not really meant to be heard but he just needed to get it out somehow. He knew that a simply apology was not going to make things better but he didn't know what else to do right now. He felt limited… and powerless.

"Goku…" Chi-Chi started again without really knowing what to say. She felt her eyes start to well up from grief… from anger.

In response, her husband looked up at her with sorrow in his eyes. Then Chi-Chi's demeanor changed. Looking in to her husband's soft eyes she immediately melted. They had a peaceful sense about them, which caused her cold complexion to give way to sympathy.

"Goku." She said again in a soothing voice as she approached him. Then, after a brief pause, she embraced him in a hug.

Goku slowly put his arms around her as she nestled his head next to hers.

Nothing was said while the two held each other. Neither of them could remember the last time they felt so connected. Time just seemed to stop around them. For a moment everything was forgotten, and it was just them.

"Chi-Chi," Goku said softly, breaking the silence.

She looked up at him.

"What am I going to do?" He asked.

She hesitated in response. This was a problem that she did not know how to solve.

"I don't know Goku. I just don't know. Like I said I have never seen Gohan this upset. I know that he doesn't just think this is about him though."

Goku looked at her puzzled.

"When he first talked to us, a week after the tournament, he mentioned that he did not want Pan to experience the same thing he did. As you know, he mentioned that last night as well. This past year he has been increasingly protective of her."

She looked away from him, back towards the window. "We both know that his life has not been easy. He just wants to make sure that she doesn't have a childhood like he has."

Goku was now forming a better picture of the situation. And as that picture came into better focus, the more he realized that he had screwed up.

The Saiyan sat down in a nearby chair with a feeling of defeat.

"I've made some big mistakes haven't I?" He asked rhetorically. Chi-Chi just looked at him.

"I just wish I could talk to him, make him understand that I'm sorry."

Chi-Chi sat down in a chair beside him and rested her hand on his.

"Let's give it some time. He's still very hurt."

Goku looked up at her. "I'm sorry Chi-Chi."

Those puppy dog eyes of his stole her heart again as she began to actually feel sorry for her husband. She then responded the same way Goten did.

"I know."

* * *

At the Son household, nothing much was said during the rest of the day. Ox-King and Goten returned from the store and shortly thereafter Ox-King, sensing that this was a time the family needed to be alone, said his goodbyes and left the family to their peace. However, even in his absence, the silence pervaded the home.

Eventually dinnertime rolled around.

While setting the table Chi-Chi had inadvertently set the table for five. After months of eating with both of her sons, her daughter-in-law, and her granddaughter she had become accustomed to setting a table for five. Of course as soon as she started to set the cups down she realized her mistake. With a sigh, she started to put the extra dishes away. One… Two… Thr-… She stopped herself. Her husband was here now, that meant she only needed to take two away, not three.

After getting everything ready Chi-Chi announced that dinner was served.

Again, quiet settled among the three family members. Besides the occasional "Can you pass the rice?" and the comments on the great taste of the food things remained rather mute.

Eventually, Goten realized he couldn't stand the silence.

"So what happens now?" He asked causing a surprised reaction from his parents. It came out of nowhere but it is what they were all thinking.

Goku looked at his wife who remained silent. She was expecting him to answer.

The Saiyan hesitated as he tried to search for the right words. "…I guess only time will tell. Right now we have to give your brother some space."

"That's it?" Goten asked, expecting more from his parents but then realized that things weren't going to just change over night. His father was right. The Son family was broken and only time would tell what would happen.

"It's all we can do right now." Goku responded.

"…What about Uub?" Goten spoke without really thinking about the implications that question might hold.

Goku looked up and thought about this. Nonchalantly he started thinking out loud. "Well he still has a lot more training to go through. I guess we can train during the day and I can teleport back here during the evening or he could stay up here with us an-" He was cut off by the sound of Chi-Chi slamming down her chopsticks on the table.

Her son and husband stopped eating and looked at her.

"Damn it Goku!" She yelled. How could he say that?! She thought. After everything that's happened had he not learned anything? Was he really that dense?

"You still don't get it, do you?!" She continued to yell as she felt, in a sense, betrayed. What about everything that was said earlier that day?

Before Goku could respond Chi-Chi continued.

"Why do you think all this is even happening? It's because you're more dedicated to your training than to your family!!"

Goku looked at her confused (and a bit scared). "But Chi-Chi I said I would be back during the evening. I would just teleport between here and th-" Again he was cut off.

"And what if something happened that I needed to get in touch with you during the day? Am I supposed to teleport to YOU?!"

Goku didn't have an answer. He didn't think about that.

"And what if you just don't show up at all? How many times has your training warped your sense of time and you've been late or never showed up at all for things we had already set in advanced?" Chi-Chi said as she continued her outburst.

"I…" Goku stuttered.

"This afternoon I believed you when you said you were sorry for everything that has happened. But if you were really sorry Goku, you would have learned that this isn't about Gohan, it's about you and the choices that you continue to make in your life. Every chance you get you choose training over family. You always end up saying your sorry when someone gets hurts by this choice, and because you blind us with your charisma, we believe it. Every single time we end up passing it off as 'you being typical you' only to have you go and pull the same stunt again and again! When is it going to end?!"

Chi-Chi had never been so angry with her husband. By failing to learn anything from the current situation, Goku was only proving that Gohan was right, 'he would never change'.

Goku attempted to find an excuse for his behavior.

"But Chi-Chi, I said I wanted to spend more time with you and Goten. I just still need to train Uub so I know that if anything happens he can take my place to protect Earth."

"Again Goku, when does it end? What happens if you meet someone stronger? You will want to train them. Then you meet someone else even stronger, and want to train them. It's like an endless cycle for you. Even if you were physically here, how am I supposed to know if you're emotionally here? You've consistently shown that your more focused on training than your own family; how is that really going to change?!"

Goku sat there dumbfounded. What was he supposed to say? More importantly, was Chi-Chi right?

"I don't want to deal with this anymore Goku!" Chi-Chi yelled as she stood up. Tears started to come down her from her eyes as she glowered at her husband. He had never seen her like this… so angry… so hurt.

"I can't handle this type of life anymore. You need to chose what's more important to you." She started to storm off then as she got close to her bedroom, a room that no longer seemed to resemble a happy marriage but a broken family, she turned back towards her husband.

With her voice cracking under emotion she managed to get one last sentence out.

"You've already driven your oldest son away, don't drive us away too."

And with that she shut herself in her room and broke down.

She wanted to make things work, she really did. But even though she still loved Goku she meant what she said, 'she no longer wanted this type of life'.

Her husband would have to choose.


	15. Chapter 14: Between Saiyans

A/N: So this is hands down the hardest chapter I have written so far. I have written, re-written, re-re-written all of this in a desperate attempt to convey what I wanted to say in this chapter. It's also hard because I have to watch what I write so I don't screw myself over for what's going to happen in the end. *insert dramatic music* And I have had to do some research on things that were said and done during the Buu Saga so I had to go to my DVD collection and watch a few episodes. Sigh... the things I do for you guys :P

Once again I have decided to split a chapter into two because originally it was too damn long. On the plus side this means that you guys will be getting the next chapter within a week since I have written 90% already. I hope you guys enjoy and a special shout out to Vuurvlieg who inspired a large part of this chapter based on a review they made on chapter 10. It certainly offers a nice transition. Arigato!

**Chapter 14: Between Saiyans**

Goku had been given an ultimatum by his wife; training or family. While those two had been severely imbalanced in the past it was now up to him to choose one, and only one.

The Saiyan sighed deeply as he thought this over again and again. His entire life he said that he was dedicated to training in a large part to protect his family. He always told himself that the two coincided with each other. But given some of the things Chi-Chi had said, he began to question his thought process and thus his 'real' motivations for training.

The moonlight glistened through the window at the Son household, casting itself on the profile of the lone Saiyan. Hours had passed since Chi-Chi had stormed out of the kitchen and shut Goku out of their room. After that happening, Goten quietly finished his meal and then went to his own room without a word being shared between him and his father.

Goku had spent the last three hours thinking… thinking about his life, his training, his family. Ever since he was a child he had been training. He didn't really know why, but it just came so naturally. In the past he had told everyone that he constantly trained so he could protect them… but he had been lying… lying to his friends… lying to his family… and lying to himself. But finally life was catching up to him. There was a fork in the road and he had to decide.

Goku stood up from the table and gazed out the window towards the crescent moon. He did not want to abandon Uub, he had made a promise to him and he wanted to keep it. But at the same time what Chi-Chi said really stuck with him… 'When is enough, enough?' The more he thought the more confused he became. The internal conflict began tearing him apart. While he knew what the 'right' decision was, it was not the first one that he thought of when he pictured what he would be doing the rest of his life. This troubled him and he did not know how to deal with it. If only he had someone to talk to who understood his thought-process.

A light bulb went off in Goku's head.

There was one person who might be able to relate to how he felt but with these feelings he was having he knew that he could not wait till morning. No, he had to talk with this person now! It was his only hope to make sense of everything.

Ever so quietly Goku opened the front door and quietly closed it behind him. To prevent disturbing anyone in the house he jogged till he was about 500 feet from the house and then silently took off into the night.

* * *

"Trunks, are you still up?!" Bulma exclaimed. She had passed his room when she noticed the light on and the demi-saiyan sitting at his desk, hard at work.

"I'm just finishing up some math before I go to bed…" He told her. After a few more marks on his paper he closed his book, set his pencil aside, and smiled at his mom. "All done."

Bulma smiled back. "Goodnight Trunks." She said as she continued on her way to her own bedroom.

She sighed as she got ready for bed. Today had been an exhausting day and she looked forward to a good nights rest. After taking off her clothes she slipped into her nightgown and yawned. Yes, it was certainly time for bed… but where was her husband? He was usually in bed before her.

"Vegeta?" Bulma called out as she inspected the closet and bathroom, shutting the lights off in both areas after it was clear he wasn't in either of those places. She stopped for a moment and scratched her head. 'Where else could he be?' She pondered. Then she heard a _huff_… _huff_… _huff_ coming from outside. Bulma peered down from the open window to see her husband in the Capsule Corp yard, practicing some punches.

"Vegeta!" She called down at him. "It's late, come to bed."

The Saiyan continued through his exercise. "I'll be up in a soon woman. Go to bed."

"Whatever." Bulma rolled her eyes as she yawned again. She was too tired to argue with him about how late it was for him to be training. Instead she proceeded to shut the window until it was slightly ajar and then climbed into bed.

"Hmph" Vegeta grunted as he saw the light in their room go off. He stopped his training and walked over to the bench where he kept a small towel and a bottle of water. As he wiped the sweat from his brow and quenched his thirst he heard someone behind him… someone he was expecting.

Vegeta smirked as he wiped traces of excess water from his lips.

"Hello Kakkarot."

Goku's eyes perked. "Vegeta… how did you know it was me?"

"I felt your ki approaching about 30 minutes ago. You're hard to miss." After taking another drink of water he faced towards his Saiyan counterpart, the smirk no longer on his face. "But what I don't know is why you came here… tonight."

A cool night breeze swept across them as Goku began to explain what had happened earlier that day; along with the emotional struggle that was taking place inside him. However, unbeknownst to both of them, Vegeta was not the only one listening.

The night winds had blown through the small opening in Bulma and Vegeta's bedroom causing various papers on a nearby table to be blown delicately across the floor.

"Ugh…" Bulma grunted under her breath as got up to clean the mess.

"I was almost asleep and then this happens." She pouted.

The blue haired woman was on her knees, scuffling about to collect everything and put them back into order. It was as she was collecting the last of the papers that she began to notice the voices from outside. At first they were faint whispers, but as she moved over to the window she was able to make out what was being said, as well as who was saying them. Peaking her head over the window ledge, her suspicions were verified.

"Goku!" She muttered. Him showing up in the middle of the night was, needless to say, surprising. 'What was he doing here?' She questioned to herself. As she got a better view she saw that he was in a deep conversation with her husband. This had Bulma even more curious. For Goku to suddenly stop by in the middle of the night and talk with Vegeta, something had to be up.

Doing her best to remain quiet, she began to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two.

"So now Chi-Chi has given me an ultimatum." Goku concluded after briefly describing the situation. "And I know what the 'right' response is but it's not the response that I first think of. Then I keep telling myself that I am doing this for them; I want to protect them. But now after what both Chi-Chi and Gohan have said, I am beginning to question that as well." He sat down on the bench near Vegeta and sighed. He was confused as it is, so after his rambling he could only imagine how confused his Saiyan counterpart must be. So much had been happening recently and he was not aware of how much Vegeta knew, let alone that the Prince of Saiyans could very well relate to what he was describing.

It was after a moment of no response, when Goku looked back up at him. To his surprise Vegeta didn't look confused at all, in fact he looked like he understood exactly what it was Goku was saying. But Vegeta still had to take a moment to contemplate how to respond. Closing his eyes he sighed.

"Kakkarot," He finally spoke up. "Do you know why we both love to fight?" Opening his eyes, he looked at Goku.

"I'm sure I've told you this before but the need to fight, or 'train' as it may be, is in our blood." He then turned around and looked up to the sky. "For thousands of years the Saiyan race thrived in harsh environments because of our superior strength, and our ruthlessness. Those innate characteristics were reinforced again and again throughout our history as our race faced continual challenges from those that sought to destroy us. That is why, despite the fact that both of us have turned to sedentary lives, that primal urge to fight still exists in us and, in one way or another, it is what drives us. Truth be told Kakkarot, neither of us can deny what we really are but that doesn't mean we have to live a life like that of our ancestors. I know through time I have found that balance between my innate Saiyan desires and the enjoyment of living a peaceful life…" He then turned back towards Goku. "…but I don't believe you have."

This certainly caused a reaction out of Goku. He wasn't prepared for judgment like that, but instead of responding he let Vegeta continue.

"It hasn't become apparent to me until recently, that you lack this balance Kakkarot. And because you lack this balance things in your life have been in disarray." He had tried being gentle with his fellow Saiyan but he knew the truth had to be told and sometimes the truth can hurt.

The two stood there in silence.

As the last of their kind they shared many things in common, but right now both of their lives were in stark contrast to one another. Vegeta, who once enjoyed killing and lusted after battle, had learned from Goku the importance of peace and of family. But Goku, who saw the good in Vegeta when they first fought and spared his life so that he could teach these things to him, had not learned from himself.

"You're right." Goku finally muttered and then stood up to meet Vegeta at eye level. "You're right. There has been an imbalance in my life. For the longest time I thought everything was fine… but the truth is… well… the truth is it's not. I've always fought for my family and for this planet but I've also always yearned… yearned for more challenges. I have never been satisfied with one battle, I've always wanted more. Just like you said, it's something innate in me… some primal urge that I could never explain but I knew it was there. It's driven me my whole life, to search out the next adventure, to become better than I currently was."

"And that is also why you have always remained stronger than me."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Towards the end of our battle with Buu I realized that you were not just stronger than me because you fought for something to protect. You were always stronger because you simply refused to lose. You fought to test your limits and by doing so you constantly exceeded them to become the strongest you could possibly be. It is why you have won every battle no matter how difficult the opponent. That is why you are the best."

Silence pervaded them yet again.

As the two Saiyans stood facing one each other, another gust of wind made it's way past them.

"Vegeta…" Goku muttered softly. It had been over 10 years since the fight with Buu, and while Goku had noticed a change in Vegeta's demeanor after that fight, the two had never discussed it. But now, after all these years, his formal rival was actually telling him, 'You are better'.

Of course even with this admittance, Vegeta was still not the biggest fan of dealing with emotions.

"Don't get sentimental Kakkarot." He chided. "I am only telling you this so you can better understand how your greatest virtue, and your greatest vice, are interrelated in what has shown to be an unstable dynamic."

Goku thought for a moment as he was brought back to reality.

"What should I do?" He asked in seek of advice. His voice showed his desperation.

"Only you can answer that." Vegeta responded bluntly. As a matter of fact it was delivered so forthrightly that Goku was a bit taken aback, and became disheartened by the notion that Vegeta could not help him.

"But I will say this," He continued. "You need some outlet for those innate desires. Simply trying to ignore or suppress them will only make matters worse. That is why you simply cannot do the exact opposite of what you have been doing and expect things to turn out OK. This situation is much more complex than that."

Goku couldn't decide if this made matters better or worse. Ultimately he decided upon 'better' since he now had an actual sense of direction when it came to solving the problem.

"Hai." He finally replied. "I understand… Thank you Vegeta."

He knew the rest was up to him.

No longer in need of guidance, Goku decided that it would be best to leave and have some time alone to sort through his thoughts.

"I should probably get going. I'm sorry for coming here at such a late hour but I want you to know that you have helped me a great deal Vegeta."

He then turned his back toward the Prince and prepared to take off.

"Say hello to your family for me." He said waving goodbye. But before he could leave Vegeta stopped him.

"Kakkarot!"

"Hmm?" Goku questioned as he turned back towards the Saiyan.

"There is one more thing you should know. I've heard through Trunks that Gohan has been training."

"Nani?!" Goku asked surprised.

Vegeta continued. "Apparently after you left last year he has started training at night and during times when nobody was home. According to both Trunk and Goten it's been very intense as well."

Goku suddenly became cautious. For his son to be training that heavily was unusual, especially in a time of peace.

"Vegeta… why are you telling me this? Why has he been training so hard?"

"For you." Vegeta answered. Goku looked at him shocked. "He's been training because he wanted to show you that it's possible spend time with your family and be powerful enough to protect them. He meant to show you his power when you got back in hopes that you would stop leaving. Of course things didn't exactly pan out that way."

Guilt, once again, enveloped Goku. Ever since that day things had just gotten worse and worse.

"Kakkarot." Vegeta cracked at him, causing him to snap out of the emotional trance he was in. "I am telling you this not to update you on what has been happening, I am telling you this because of what happened after you came back." He then took a few steps toward Goku. "We both felt how powerful your son's ki was when he was upset, and to be honest, it was way beyond anything I had ever expected. This showed me just how committed he has been to protecting his family and also showing you wrong."

Goku was still in a state of shock but he understood what Vegeta was getting at. While this news certainly explained a few things, it also made the situation even more delicate. And suddenly the everything became that much more serious.

"Thank you Vegeta… Thank you for telling me this." He said as thoughts began to rush through his head on how he was going to resolve this issue now that it became even more complex.

"Hey." Vegeta said, once again snapping Goku out of a trance. "Good luck." He then extended out his hand.

Goku, for the first time that night, smiled and shook Vegeta's hand as he nodded in a sense of saying 'Thank you'. It had been a simple comment but it provided the support he needed right now.

After they broke from the handshake Goku softly lifting into the air until he was about 30 meters above Capsule Corp. With a wave to his fellow Saiyan he turned towards the direction he came from and flew off into the night sky once again.


	16. Chapter 15: Balancing Act

A/N: Well like I said here is the Chapter 15, a week after chapter 14. Again, I would have made them into one chapter but it ended up being too long. Still, I hope you guys enjoy.

I would like to comment that I am about half way, or a little more than half way, through the story so far, just to give you all an idea of what to expect in terms of length. That being said, and I realize that I probably should have mentioned this before but I will mention it now, this story has no connection with DBGT. I have noticed a few reviews implying that and I just want to make it clear that this story is completely separate from that timeline (mainly because I see DBGT as a fan-fiction in itself given that the story was not created by Akira Toriyama).

I would also like to mention that as we approach the end of the story be prepared for any type of ending (happy, sad, scary, humorous, etc). I just want to give everyone a heads up just in case you were expecting one type of ending and then got another… although it doesn't necessarily mean what your suspecting is wrong… just that there is a possibility it is… unless it's not……….. Don't expect anything!! :P As always please review.

**Chapter 15: Balancing Act**

It was morning the next day at the Son Household. With the events of last night still fresh in her mind Chi-Chi had somehow managed to find the strength to get herself out of bed. She knew some of this strength came in the form of hunger. Last night she had abruptly left the dinner table with her meal half eaten when she fought with her husband. Now her stomach was rumbling, begging for some food.

As she made her way to the kitchen Chi-Chi noticed that the house was quiet. Goten was still asleep and she assumed the same thing for Goku, even though she did not know if he was still there. She was oblivious to the world after she stormed off to her bedroom last night and for all she knew Goku had already made his decision, and left. These thoughts permeated her mind but she told herself to take everything one step at a time. Right now she had a headache and was very hungry. In order to begin to think rationally she knew she first had to get some food in her.

Chi-Chi had made herself some breakfast and enjoyed a quiet meal alone. This gave her an opportunity to collect her thoughts and relax a bit before she went through the day. But things were about to start sooner than expected.

Just as she finished putting her dishes in the dishwasher the phone rang.

_Bring… Bring… Bring… Br-_

"Moshi Moshi." Chi-Chi said as she picked up the handheld device.

"Chi-Chi, it's Bulma." There was a hint of concern in her voice.

"Bulma? You sound different. Is something wrong?"

"Have you talked with Goku this morning?" She asked, ignoring Chi-Chi's question.

"Huh…? No, why? Bulma what's wrong?" Chi-Chi replied, confused.

"OK, good." Bulma said taking a sigh of relief. "I think there's something you should know…"

She then began to tell Chi-Chi the events of last night, how Goku dropped by Capsule Corp, how he explained to Vegeta what had happened, what Vegeta said in response, and how she heard and saw everything that occurred between the two. She made sure to leave out no detail.

Chi-Chi listened intently at what her best friend was telling her. Everything that Vegeta told Goku was now being told to her, word for word. It was a conversation that was putting things into a completely different perspective… and made life all the more confusing.

"And before he left, Vegeta told him about Gohan's training." Bulma said solemnly as if she was delivering some bad news.

Chi-Chi remained silent as thoughts raced through her mind on what happened next. She realized she had never said anything to her husband about this and now he was hearing it for the first time, along with all this other information. How much did Vegeta reveal?

As if reading her mind Bulma continued. "He told Goku everything. He told him how Gohan had been training for the past year at night and during times when everyone was gone. That Gohan was doing this to prove to him that it's possible to maintain a family and train at the same time. Vegeta even discussed how Goku's arrival at Gohan's Birthday… changed everything." Bulma sighed. "Chi-Chi, I have never seen Goku so upset. During the entire conversation he had this look on his face like he couldn't believe all this had really been happening. And the only time that changed was when Vegeta mentioned how it's instinctive for a Saiyan to fight and that in order to live a peaceful lifestyle it is necessary to find a balance. Goku's demeanor changed from upset to contemplative, as if Vegeta had said something that put his whole life into focus."

Bulma paused for a moment. "…Chi-Chi, I have known you both for over 30 years and so I know Goku loves you just as you love him. Trust me when I say that I understand that living with a Saiyan husband can be difficult. With Goku, however, I feel it has been especially difficult because he never knew much about who he really was and where he came from until much later in life. He's always been a bit eccentric and spontaneous as we all grew up together, and this has caused him to inadvertently hurt a lot of people, especially you. Nobody denies his responsibility for his actions but based on his talk with Vegeta last night it seems like he wants to rectify his mistakes. I am not telling you all this to tell you what to do, but rather to let you know what has been happening. Please know, Chi-Chi, that whatever happens we will be here for you and support you. You do not have to be alone in your struggle."

Chi-Chi struggled not to cry as she took in everything Bulma had told her. The things Vegeta had said made sense not only to Goku but to her as well. Looking back on her life with him, she sensed that something was always off and now she knew. Like Vegeta had said, he had an imbalance in his life. While she knew that his choices played a part, and that he had to take some personal responsibility for things that have happened, she found that she could not blame him entirely for all the problems surrounding them.

Chi-Chi was very thankful. Vegeta had helped Goku understand and now Bulma had helped her understand.

She was about to respond Goku entered the kitchen.

"I'm going to have to call you back Bulma… but thank you… thank you." She said before gently placing the handheld back in the receiver. Then she stood up, facing her husband.

Goku stared into his wife's eyes. "What did Bulma want?" He asked.

Chi-Chi didn't respond. She stood there, trying to figure things out, then after a few moments walked up to Goku and wrapped her arms around him.

"Chi-Chi?" He questioned.

"…I want you to stay." She whispered.

Goku became somber. He was still struggling with what to do. Chi-Chi had given him an ultimatum but he wanted both… and according to Vegeta he needed both or else more chaos would enter his life.

"I do too but… Chi-Chi listen, last night I went to see Vegeta and-"

"I know." Chi-Chi responded as she broke from the hug and looked up at him with a slight smile. Goku returned with a look of confusion.

"Bulma heard you guys talk, that's what she was calling me about."

"Eh?!" Goku said surprised. "But we were talking outside. How did she hear us?"

Chi-Chi let out a small chuckle. "Her bedroom window was open. You know how she loves to eavesdrop."

Goku joined in with a nervous chuckle of his own.

"Goku, Bulma told me what Vegeta told you. How Saiyans have a primal urge to fight and train. How it seems he has found a balance between living a peaceful life and his Saiyan instincts but you haven't. She also told me about how Vegeta told you that he doesn't believe you can give up training completely because that will just cause another imbalance. So I don't think it's fair for me to ask you to stop training, but… but…

She clutched her hands together near her chest as she began to tear up. "Goku, I don't want to be without you. Every time you leave I end up missing you too much. I… I love you."

Goku looked at her apologetically and gently grabbed her hands. "I love you to Chi-Chi… and I'm sorry."

A few stray tears made their way down Chi-Chi's face as a depressed look came over her.

"Chi-Chi, what's wrong?"

"I just don't see how this is going to work Goku. If you go back to training Uub you'll be so far away… and I will have no way to reach you. It will be the same thing all over again." She was frustrated because she felt powerless in this situation. There seemed to be no reasonable compromise.

Goku thought for a moment. "What if you call me if anything comes up and instead of being gone for such a long time I only go a few hours each day. I can teleport back and forth."

Chi-Chi looked up at him. "I thought Uub's village didn't have phone lines."

Goku smiled. "They have been doing a lot with the money Mr. Satan gave them. After building what has been necessary they have added phone lines and now every house has at least one phone. I can give you the phone number of Uub's parents as well as their neighbors. Uub and I often train near the house but no matter where we are they should be able to get in contact with us shortly. And as soon as I hear that you need me, I can be wherever you."

Chi-Chi remained hesitant. She bit at her thumbnail trying to think it all though. So far she couldn't come up with a reason to say no.

Goku laid his hands on her shoulders.

"Once I'm done training Uub then I will train here or with Vegeta, on my own time. And I promise not to discuss training while I'm home." He was trying to cover all his bases. He wanted this plan to cover both of their needs.

"Goku…" Chi-Chi began to reply. "I need to be sure if you do this that we aren't going to fall into the same pattern that we were in before. I need you to promise me that you will be here if and when we need you."

"I promise Chi-Chi. In fact, if at anytime you feel this isn't working we will work together to find another way."

Chi-Chi stared at her husband, a bit surprised. This was the first he had ever put so much thought into making sure they were both happy. Before it was just 'him' but now it was 'them'. Bulma was right; he did want to rectify his mistakes. He did want to change.

"ok…" She muttered, then again more loudly. "OK." And then gave her husband a hug.

Goku hugged her back as smiled. In the midst of all the horrible mistakes he had made, he had finally done something right. Thanks to Vegeta's guidance he felt as if he was on his way to becoming a better friend, a better husband, and hopefully a better father.

"Thank you Goku." Chi-Chi whispered in his ear.

"No… thank you Chi-Chi." Goku whispered back. She had given him the one thing he had wanted since this mess started; another chance. And now he knew how to balance himself to prevent something like this from happening again. Of course he still remained a little scared inside. This was the only bet he had and he did not know how things were going to turn out. All he could do right now was take it one step at a time. But deep down, behind the fear of the unknown future lie determination and spirit. He wasn't going to give up on this. Like Vegeta said…

'He refused to lose'.


	17. Chapter 16: Moving in

A/N: Back to Gohan's family in this one. This takes place a few hours after Gohan and his family left Mount Paouzo, so we are backtracking here a little bit (all part of an A/B story line). Also, I have some notes about this chapter, and the story, at the end. Read the chapter first and then read the notes.

And Shimatta is a Japanese word for "Oh no" or "Shit!"

**Chapter 16: Moving in**

"Well, here we are!" Gohan announced as he walked through the door of the new house that he and his family would be living in. Despite the fact that they were still in the city limit, the house was large enough to be more than accommodating for the growing the family.

Behind her father was Pan who began to look around. She had seen the place earlier while she was up with her parents one time, but entering it now it felt different. This was the place where she was going to be living from now on.

"Okasan, which room is mine?" The chibi asked as she rushed upstairs with a box containing some of her things.

Videl smiled. "You can pick whichever room you want Pan-chan."

After scurrying about Pan eventually disappeared into one room. A few seconds later Gohan and Videl heard, "I want the big one!" They then looked at each other. Pan had found the master bedroom and was now staking her claim on it.

"I better go help her." Videl said as she put down her bag and went upstairs. Meanwhile, Gohan simply chuckled. As he did so Mr. Satan bumped into him. When the demi-saiyan turned around he saw his father in law carrying so many boxes that he barely made it through the door, and of course the poor man was struggling with the weight of them all.

"Help…" He muttered.

"Oh, here Satan-san let me help you." Gohan said as he shifted the boxes he was currently holding to his side so he had an extra arm free. He then proceeded to lift four out of the five boxes Mr. Satan was carrying with the slightest ease.

Now the old martial artist could finally see where he was going but the first thing he saw was his son-in-law carrying three boxes in one hand and the four boxes he just took from him, in the other hand.

"BWHAHA." He laughed nervously. "Oh I was just kidding around with you. That was real lightweight stuff. Heck, now it seems like nothing at all with carrying just this one box. Bwhaha." But as he said this he quickly made his way inside, past his son-in-law. The last thing he wanted was for Gohan to hand all the stuff back to him!

And finally there was Buu carrying a few boxes, with no trouble at all.

"Where do these go?" He asked.

"Right over there." Gohan pointed. "Thanks Buu."

Moving in had started.

* * *

It certainly didn't take long for the family to settle in. Within a few hours they had managed to move everything into the house and set it up so it began to look like 'home'.

After he had set up the last piece of furniture downstairs, a lamp on a table in the living room, Gohan stepped back and looked around. As he took in the picture perfect sight he could hear the laughter of his wife and daughter upstairs and smell the incredible meal that Mr. Satan and Buu were cooking up. It was one of those moments where time seemed to stop and everything came together so perfectly. He sighed deeply… this was how it should be… this was his new life.

After a moment of pure bliss Gohan decided to make his way to the kitchen to help out with cooking. As soon as he walked through the door he saw Mr. Satan, wearing an apron and a chef's hat, stirring several pots all at the same time.

"Ahhh it smells good." He mentioned, taking in extra big whiffs of the aromas filling the kitchen.

"Yup, it's an old family favorite and one of my specialties." Mr. Satan responded with a proud look.

"Where's Buu?" Gohan asked as he looked around.

"Oh he went out to get a few more essentials I forgot. Don't worry though, dinner will be on time."

"Well Videl and I really appreciate both of you helping out today."

"Ah shucks, it was nothing really." Of course as he said this he remembered that Buu had done most of the grunt work. This caused him to laugh nervously again.

Gohan smiled. "Is there anything I can help out with?"

"Well I got this taken care of… but I know we still need to make some tea."

"I'm on it."

Gohan got out a tea kettle, filled it with water, and put it on the oven top. As he waited for the water to boil he and Mr. Satan stood there in silence… until…

"Gohan." Mr. Satan muttered. The demi-saiyan looked at him. He could tell the older man's demeanor was completely different than from just a minute ago.

"What's wrong Satan-san?"

Mr. Satan turned to face Gohan. "I feel like we should talk about everything that happened today… and last night… with your father."

* * *

"We should hurry and finish putting up these mirrors. Dinner should be ready soon." Videl commented to Pan as they sat in one of the guest rooms, the last room to be worked on.

"Yosh!" Her daughter replied happily as she grabbed a handful of nails. "Here are the nails Okasan."

"Alright." Videl said grabbing one and then began to look around. Where was that hammer?

"Hmmm…" She thought out loud. "I think I remember the hammer being downstairs somewhere." She then stood up. "Why don't I go look for it and you take a second look at your room and see if we need anything else."

"Hai." Pan replied and then scurried off to her room.

Videl went downstairs and took a quick look around. It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for. The hammer had been set on a small table right outside the kitchen where they hung up a clock earlier. She gently picked it up and had turned half-way around when she overheard her father.

"… that happened today… and last night… with your father."

This caught her attention and she froze. "Gohan." She thought.

As her father and husband continued to converse Videl inched a little closer to the kitchen door. She questioned herself as she began to eavesdrop but the entire day she couldn't help shake the feeling that there was still something not quite right about all this. Perhaps this was one way to get answers.

* * *

Gohan looked back down the teapot to advert looking Mr. Satan in the eyes. "I know, I'm sorry for my behavior last night and I completely understand if you're upset with me. I lost control and I ended up hurting a lot of people."

"Gohan, I'm just trying to understand what is going on. We both know this isn't like you."

"I know… I know." Gohan said wincing. He felt incredibly guilty for everything that had happened recently. He had acted so foolishly and really hadn't had the time to process everything until now. He squeezed the bridge between his eyes. "It was never my intention to drag everyone into this. I let my anger towards him take over me and I lost control. And now I have to suffer the consequences." He looked back up at Mr. Satan expecting a look of judgment but was instead met with a look of concern.

"Well that's just it."

"Huh?"

"Son, you think everyone is angry with you but we aren't. We're concerned because we know you you're hurting. What we don't understand is why. Why are you so angry with your father." Of course Mr. Satan wasn't there last year, a week after the tournament when Gohan told his immediate family that he didn't want anything to do with his father. He had heard a few things from his daughter but he didn't actually see the anger Gohan held towards his father; that is until last night.

Thoughts began to race through the demi-saiyan's head as he thought about everything that had happened within the past 24 hours. There was still a lot of emotion built up inside him and the concern his father-in-law showed seemed to be a tipping point.

"I… I…" He felt some of the walls breaking within. For the first time he began to feel like he should disclose everything… everything that happened to him to make him feel this way. His true past was coming to the surface, it was-

*PFFFTTTTTTTT* The tea kettle whistled violently. Gohan shook himself out of his haze… and in an instant, all those emotions about opening up, all those secrets, were quickly pushed back down inside of him.

'I can't tell them.' He told himself. 'I can never tell them.'

He then lifted the kettle off the burner and opened a cabinet above him for some tea.

"I really shouldn't be involving anyone anymore on problems that exist between him and me because they should be just that, between him and me. I think I snapped at him so harshly because I was angry he had left us and then came back and didn't even know it was my birthday. And the way he entered just reminded me of how selfish he can really be. I believe that, along with the stress I have been under with moving and this new job, all cumulated together and… I lost control." But this wasn't the entire story. No the story began long before any of this but he couldn't tell Mr. Satan, he couldn't tell anyone. He lied to protect them from the truth. After all everyone else had a good relationship with his father. He couldn't help it if he had a different experience than most people… and now neither could Goku.

"Are you sure you will be OK? Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Mr. Satan asked. His lack of knowledge on his son-in-law's past caused him to buy Gohan's story.

Gohan gave him a weak smile.

"I will be OK Satan-san. Right now I'm embarrassed because of my behavior, but I will be OK. When I left today I also left my past behind me. All I want to do now is look forward to the future."

Mr. Satan returned with a weak smile of his own.

"Well you know you can always talk with me. 'The Champ' may be pretty busy but he always leaves room for his favorite son-in-law." He was trying to lighten the mood with some of his humor and even ended with one of his famous laughs. "BWHAHAHA."

"Thanks Satan-san." Gohan said and joined in with a slight chuckle.

…But not everyone was laughing.

Videl, who was not meant to hear that conversation, could see past her husband's façade… he was hiding something. This was the second time today that he acted like this, first with his grandfather and now with her father. Both times she felt that Gohan was close to opening up but quickly withdrew into himself before he did so.

More questions began to race through Videl's head. "What was Gohan hiding and why did he feel he couldn't talk to her about it?"

However, she didn't have too much time to think about this because almost as soon as Gohan and her father finished the conversation she heard the knob of the front door begin to turn.

"Shimatta!" Videl swore under her breath, thinking she was about to get caught eavesdropping. Fortunately the door had been locked so she had time to run upstairs just before Buu unlocked the door and came in with a bag of groceries.

"Satan-san, Buu got the groceries." He announced as he entered the kitchen, which started up a whole new conversation between the three. Meanwhile Videl let out a sigh of relief at the top of the stairs.

"That was close." She thought to herself. "That certainly would have been awkward."

"Okasan." Pan suddenly appeared as she tugged on her mother's hand. Videl looked down at her daughter, a little caught off guard.

"Did you find the hammer?"

The words took a moment to process. "Hammer… Hammer… Oh, yes!" Videl exclaimed, then took it out of her pocket. "Found it Pan-chan."

"Alright, let's hang everything up so we can show Otousan how well we decorated."

Videl just smiled in response but she was rife with emotion inside.

She was confident there were things that her husband wasn't telling her… but what?

.

.

.

.

.

A/N: So I realize I may get some questions about what Gohan is hiding. I will not say what it is until that chapter comes but I will say that nothing is going to be made up, like Goku sexually abusing Gohan or anything like that. Everything that will be revealed will be directly from the anime. I don't want to say anymore for fear of spoiling anything. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.


	18. Chapter 17: Investigating

A/N: So this was supposed to be updated last week but after writing about 1/3 of it I came down with a case of pneumonia (not fun). I struggled to get the last 2/3 of this chapter written while I've been sick so please be gentle. I'm on my way to recovery and have time now that I'm done with school so hopefully a new chapter will be on the way sooner than later. I hope you all enjoy.

**Chapter 17: Investigating**

Some time had past since Gohan and his family had moved to North City. By now everyone was carrying on with their normal day routine, almost forgetful of the events that had happened just a few months ago. Then again, nobody really had any reason to bring it up. Complacency was a trait that seemed to be innate to the Z-Warriors.

While Gohan and his family had been living their new life in North City, Goku had stuck to his promise about training. The Saiyan trained with Uub during the day and teleported back during the evenings to be with his family. At first, Goku had thought about his son constantly, wondering how to make things right, but over time the thought of Gohan entered his mind less and less. He steadily became preoccupied with salvaging his relationship with his wife and youngest son. Unfortunately that wasn't the only preoccupation that prevented him from thinking about his son. Time and energy spent focusing on making amends with Gohan quickly became additional training time. What's worse is that this attention shift went unnoticed not only by Goku but by Chi-Chi and Goten as well. His family remained oblivious to his lack of effort in repairing the relationship with his son because they were too busy repairing their own relationships with Goku. Despite what he and everyone else thought, the balance that Vegeta had talked about remained to be seen.

As the months dragged on Goten and Chi-Chi would visit Gohan's family in North City during times when Goku was off with Uub, so as to make leaving less awkward. Because of the sensitive nature of the situation these visits were never discussed at the Son household. Chi-Chi believed that, given time, the two would talk again and amends would be made. She simply decided to give each of them their space and, despite her urge to intervene, let them settle it when the time was right. Meanwhile Goten simply recognized that his brother had a different experience than he did and respected his decision. After all, Goten was still getting used to the idea of Goku being his 'father'. Unlike his brother, he never knew his father until he was an adolescent, when a majority of his life developmental stages had already passed. Goku was simply someone he was told stories about. It was his brother and Piccolo who were the older male mentors in his life as a child. They were his 'fathers' during childhood while Goku was his father after childhood. Additionally, Goten knew Goku as a father who had always been there for him once he came into his life (with the exception of being gone for a year to train Uub). There in lied the key difference. Unlike his brother, Goku hadn't been coming and going at random times in his life. His father's presence remained, for the most part, constant. The mature demi-sayian realized that he couldn't blame his brother for a reaction to an experience he knew nothing about. Recognizing there was little he could do, Goten tried to not bring the topic up. However, if it was brought up he acted like a support system for whoever needed it.

Thus, for the most part everybody seemed to be ok with the situation. And because everyone seemed happy, nobody thought to question it… well… almost nobody.

Videl knew there was something more to the story, something her husband wasn't telling her. But she also knew that she had to tread carefully. She had to be subtle about her suspicions because she didn't want Gohan to think that she suspected anything. The last thing she wanted to do was to upset him. She knew deep inside he was fragile and if she directly confronted him on certain topics (such as what she overheard from his conversation with her father the night they moved in) he might shut down and further recede into himself. The woman quickly found herself at a loss. She needed to know about her husband's past, but he wasn't going to be the one to talk with her about it. She had to find someone else… but who?

* * *

October 4th 785 A. D.

"Pan you're it!" Bra announced as she tagged the younger girl in a game of hide-and-seek in the spacious Capsule Corp garden.

"Aww no fair." Pan pouted.

"Don't worry Pan, I'll hide in a real easy spot so you can find me." Trunks said as he tousled the chibi's hair. This made Pan instantly cheer up from her designated role as 'it'.

"OK!" She said smiling back, followed by a slight jog to a tree at the center of the garden where she began to count.

Despite the age difference between Trunks and the two children he was with, he was happy to be joining in on their games. Not only did it give him an excuse for a long study break, but it also made him reminisce about his childhood with Goten when they used to play the same games at Capsule Corp. Plus it beat the alternative of the two young girls pulling pranks on him, which they did often when he wouldn't play with them.

Sitting at a table overlooking the garden, Bulma and Videl watched as their children played.

"They grow up so fast." Bulma commented.

"That they do." Videl responded while rubbing her protruding belly. She was about 7 months into her pregnancy and currently feeling the kicks of the little one inside her.

Bulma turned towards Videl. "Gohan told me last month that you two found out you're going to have a boy! Are you excited?"

"Very much so." Videl returned with a smile. "Both Gohan and I were hoping for a boy, although we would have been just as happy with a girl. Come to think it, I actually believe the one most excited about the news was my dad."

"Oh?"

"Well I know that when he and my mom got married they wanted at least one boy and one girl. They had me and were planning expanding the family when my mom was killed in her car accident." Videl paused for a moment. "The day that my mom died, my dad not only lost his wife and best friend but he also lost the family that he and my mother dreamed about having."

"Videl… I'm so sorry." Bulma said as she tried her best to be comforting.

"Well… it was a really hard time for us both, but we were able to get through it because we had each other. Of course now he has more than just me, he has a whole family, a family that he's always wanted. Truth be told I think Pan has helped him more than he has her because he's getting to relive the joys of having children around. And now with the baby on the way he has only more good times to look forward too."

"Well… I'm glad things have been working out for the better. Trust me when I say I know how much help parents can be in raising a child."

"I'm sensing you have a few stories to tell." Videl giggled as she took a sip of her lemonade.

"Well…" Bulma began with a cheaky grin. She followed with stories about raising Trunks and before long the two of them found themselves in deep conversation.

About an hour flew by as the two chatted before they interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hiya guys."

Bulma and Videl turned their heads toward the direction of the voice.

"Krillin!" Bulma shouted. "You made it."

The short man sat down at the table. "Either this place is expanding or I'm just getting older."

"A little bit of both." Bulma chuckled, causing her friends to laugh as well. What followed was a few minutes of small chat as Krillin got caught up on what was happening in both Videl's and Bulma's lives. However, it didn't take long for the conversation to quickly turn to the reason why they were all there.

"So Videl, now that Krillin is here you wanna tell us why you wanted the three of us to get together?"

"Yea you sounded a bit worried on the phone. Is everything OK?" Krillin asked.

Videl took a deep sigh. "To tell you the truth, I am a bit worried. It's about Gohan. Ever since the night of his birthday party I've been increasingly suspicious of his behavior. I have a strong feeling that he hasn't been telling me everything… that he hasn't been telling any of us everything." She then began to recount what occurred the night of Gohan's birthday after everyone had left. She told the two about his conversation with Goku, the uncomfortable departure from Mount Paozu, and the conversation between him and her father during the move in. She described that this type of behavior was not normal for her husband and, based on the looks she was getting from Bulma and Krillin, they agreed.

"I've tried on my own to figure out what it is he isn't telling me but so far I've turned up with nothing. I know I cannot simply ask him what it is he is hiding from me because I know he will deny it. He may feel like he's protecting us but in the process it is destroying a part of him."

Bulma and Krillin looked at each other. They had never experienced anything like this before with Gohan. It didn't take them long to realize that Videl's concerns were legitimate.

"Wow." Bulma said as she sat back in her chair. "This is so strange. This doesn't sound like Gohan at all. Has anyone else mentioned anything?"

Videl shook her head. "No, I think I'm the only one who suspects anything. Gohan is very good at putting up a front and acting like everything is OK but being his wife I know when something's not right. And so far you two are the only ones that I've told about this. I've been too worried to involve anyone else but, like I said, I'm currently at a loss."

"You shouldn't have to go at this alone." Krillin reassured Videl. "If something's wrong surely we can work together to help fix it."

"I wish it were that simple Krillin but I'm not sure there is much we can do at the moment. I know if we confront Gohan it will only make things worse." Videl began to bite at her nails out of frustration.

"Well there has to be something we can do." Bulma said as she crossed her arms and thought hard to a solution on the matter.

"There is." Videl replied bluntly, catching Bulma and Krillin off guard.

"What? What can we do?" Bulma asked.

Videl took another deep breath. "You can tell me all you know about Gohan's past."

Her statement was met with a collective "Eh?"

"I think what Gohan isn't telling us has to do with his childhood. After he confronted Goku I got this feeling that he was holding back, that he was leaving something out. I don't know if this was to protect us but after the next day I was positive I am missing an essential piece of information."

"Hmm…" Bulma thought aloud. "That would make more sense given his reaction to Goku leaving. But I honestly don't know what could have occurred between them that would cause this much strife. Ever since I've known him, Gohan has always been happy-go-lucky kid who admired his father. That's what makes all of this so bizarre."

"I remember that Goku's departure at the tournament was very spontaneous, something which seemed to hit a nerve with Gohan. In the past has Goku ever done something similar where he maybe acted too spontaneously and thus irrationally."

Bulma sighed as she rubbed her head. "I think most of Goku's decisions have been made spontaneously. He's usually not one to think things through. That being said I still can't think of any specific instances where his actions would have such an affect on Gohan."

Krillin, who had recently said little, finally spoke up.

"I can." He answered.

The two women turned towards him with a rather surprised look.

"What did you say Krillin?" Videl asked, fearing she misheard him.

"If Gohan is this upset at Goku because he left last year then he might be harboring some resentment towards him based on what happened at the Cell Games." That was the only period of time that Krillin could imagine that might be related to what was now happening.

"Do you mean when Goku decided not to come back after he died?" Bulma questioned.

Krillin nodded.

He then began to re-tell the story of Goku's death, how he said his goodbyes and then transported the self-destructing Cell to Kaio-sama's. He concluded with the gathering at Kami's Lookout, when they received the news from Goku that he decided not to be revived.

"I think it really hurt Gohan when Goku said he was going to stay in the After-Life. The news was hard for all of us to hear but Gohan… Gohan was still just a child, and although he never said anything, I believe he blamed himself for his father's death."

In this admission Krillin felt a bit of shame. At the time, he had his suspicions that the demi-saiyan blamed himself for his father's death but since words were never spoken about it he carelessly disregarded the notion thinking it was nothing more than him worrying too much. If this was indeed what Gohan was hiding then it was something he had been living with for years. It was hard to imagine anyone keeping that bottled up inside them for so long.

But nobody was interested in placing blame. Instead they wanted to focus on what they could do to make things better.

"If that's it what should we do now? Do we try to talk to Gohan about all this?" Bulma asked.

"No." Videl answered knowing that now was not the right time to do so. "Not yet at least. I don't think that we can rush into handling this without any type of plan. If he has indeed been living with this for as long as we think he has, then it would be best to approach the topic gently and at the right time."

Krillin and Bulma nodded. They didn't like having to wait to help one of their close friends but they understood that the situation was a fragile one.

Videl sighed and continued.

"Plus there is someone else I'd like to talk to about this… I'd like to talk with Goku."


	19. Chapter 18: Le Café

A/N: Ok so Videl has become a much larger part of this story than originally intended so sorry to all those who don't care for her. I had to keep the plot going somehow and Videl makes the perfect catalyst for everything that is going on. Anyway this is a chapter that I have been looking forward to almost since I started this story. I personally think I have out-done myself with this one but then again it is 2:00 am right now so… I… Zzzzzzzzz.

Enjoy! And please review

**Chapter 18: Le Café **

October 11th, 785 A.D.

In the mountains approximately 50 kilometers southeast of Mount Frying Pan, four men are enjoying a hike along the rugged terrain. It had proven to be a perfect day for hiking, not too cold, not too hot, and not a cloud in the sky. The four had been traveling for a few hours, enjoying the scenery along the way, when the lavender haired boy leading the group came to a halt.

"Trunks what's the hold up?" Goten asked his friend as he caught up to him.

The older demi-saiyan was looking at his watch. "It's almost noon." He then looked up at his friend. "How about we rest and eat lunch?"

Goten's eyes suddenly perked up and he vigorously nodded.

"How about over there?" Trunk said, pointing to a small clearing overlooking a valley.

"Looks good." Goten replied enthusiastically and then turned to the other two men a few meters behind them. "Hey." He shouted. "Trunks found a spot for us to eat lunch."

Before any response could be made Trunks took the initiative. "Hurry up before I eat all the food." He yelled and then flew down to the clearing.

"Trunks wait for me, I'm hungry too." Goten shouted back as he clumsily flew after his friend.

Watching his brother and Trunks fly down to the clearing Gohan sighed and smacked his head with his palm. "Don't they understand the point of hiking is to use your feet and not to fly."

"Who cares, there's food." Vegeta commented as he walked by Gohan and then flew down to the clearing as well.

*sweatdrop*

Gohan sighed once more as he gave in to flight and followed the others.

Before he and Vegeta landed the two young demi-saiyans already had most of the food out that they had packed, and began devouring it.

"Save some for the rest of us!" Vegeta barked causing Goten and Trunks to slow down their pace of eating. Resting their backpacks next to them, all four men relaxed on the lush green grass as they enjoyed their pre-packed lunch.

Silence pervaded the hungry group as they quietly enjoyed their meal. The only sound heard other than their munching was the natural sounds of the wilderness. Goten found himself looking around almost as if he was realizing this peaceful beauty for the first time.

"Whats wrong Goten?" Gohan asked, wondering why his brother suddenly seemed to be dazing off.

"Huh?" Goten shot his head back towards the group. "Oh, I was just taking in the view. It's been awhile since I've really 'experienced' the outdoors. I almost forgot how peaceful it can be."

Feeling inspired by his friend's words Trunks turned to his father. "Hey Tousan, we should bring Bra and Kasan out here sometime to hike with us. They might enjoy the experiencing the outdoors and it would be good exercise for them."

Vegeta looked at his son. "Ugh, the only idea of exercise and experiencing the outdoors for those two is shopping their way across town." This statement was followed by laughter because everyone (knowing the shopaholic Bulma) knew it was true.

"I wonder if Bulma went out shopping with Pan and Bra after we left." Goten commented. He then nudged his brother. "Maybe you should have had Krillin baby-sit Pan instead of Bulma. She might teach Pan the power of a credit card." The group laughed again.

"Speaking of baby-sitting. Where did you say Videl was?" Trunks asked.

"Oh, she actually has a meeting today with some people in her office. It's some last minute preparation before she goes on maternity leave tomorrow."

"Oh wow so the big day is coming up. When is she due?" Trunks asked.

"Hmmm…" Gohan began counting the days in his head. "In about 1 month. That's why this will probably be my last hiking trip for a little while."

"Well when everything does settles down we will have to do this again." Trunks commented. "Right Tousan?"

Vegeta looked up at his son, his faced stuffed with food. He had not paid attention to a word that had been said since he answered his son's question.

"Do what?" He asked.

Once again Gohan, Trunks, and Goten broke into laughter.

* * *

Meanwhile in East City, Videl was clutching her umbrella close to her as the rain poured down from the darken sky. She had been smart enough to wear her trench coat but the she still felt wet. The rain seemed to be getting steadily worse by the minute.

She looked at her watch.

"Ugh…" She groaned slightly and then began to question aloud. "Where are you? We did agree at noon… right?... Or was it later?... Or was it in a different place?" She looked at the bright neon sign above her "Le Café". No… No she was pretty sure this is the place they agreed upon. She wouldn't mistake the details for a meeting this important. It was a meeting that she had told her husband that she could not miss. But she had deceived him. What she didn't tell him was-

"Videl?" A voice called from behind her.

The woman turned around to be greeted with the person she had called to meet her there.

.

.

.

.

"Goku." She muttered, her breath visible in the now chilled air.

.

.

.

What she didn't tell him was that it was a meeting with his father.

The two stood there for a moment as the sound of tires against wet pavement came and went as cars drove by on the street next to them. People passing them on the sidewalk seemed like a blur but at the same moment, time seemed to stand still.

Eventually Goku broke the silence.

"It's cold, we should go inside."

Videl simply nodded in response.

Goku opened the door for his daughter-in-law as they made their way inside the café. Before being seated Videl hung up her trenchcoat. As Goku was following suite by taking off his orange and black jacket she noticed that he was completely dry, despite having been in the rain without an umbrella.

"You're dry." She commented, rather amazed.

Goku smiled and responded with one word. "Ki." He had produced a layer of ki around his body to prevent himself from getting wet.

Videl let a wry smile cross her face. "I guess there are tricks I have yet to learn."

The two were then lead to a small, window-side booth, by the hostess.

"Two coffees please." Videl said and then turned to Goku. "You drink coffee right?"

This time it was Goku who responded by a simple nod.

"Coming right up." The waitress told them right before she left to place their order.

For the second time the two looked at each other, saying nothing. The only sounds they heard were a few voices from the other café patrons, the soft jazz music playing overhead, and the rain pattering against the window.

Videl spoke up. "…I suppose you're wondering why I called you."

Again Goku nodded.

"I'm guessing you won't be surprised when I tell you it's about you and Gohan."

"No." He responded, keeping an almost melancholy composure. At the moment he did not feel like his happy care-free self.

Instead he felt…

he felt…

He felt.

"Goku have you ever heard the phrase 'time heals all wounds'?"

"Yes."

"And do you believe it?"

"… I don't know."

Videl sighed and looked out the window. "I used to." She then turned back to Goku. "But now I'm not sure anymore."

The Saiyan started to become confused. What was all this about? Why had she called him here?

"Goku… that night, at Gohan's birthday party, I had a feeling that he wasn't telling us the whole story. Despite his aggressive behavior there was something about him that seemed reserved. The next day I heard him talking to my dad about the situation and I sensed this urge in him to disclose some type of information that he seemed to be bottling up in himself. Something that I believe he has been hiding from everyone for years."

Goku had a look of both surprise and concern.

Videl continued. "And Goku, I think I know what it is."

"Here you both go!" The waitress said as she came by, setting down two mugs of fresh coffee and unknowingly cutting Videl off from announcing her revelation. "Two coffees. Is there anything else I can get for you two?"

"… No thank you." Goku answered gently.

"Alright, enjoy." She said before walking away to attend to the other customers.

For a brief moment there after neither Videl nor Goku spoke. It was almost as if the flow of the conversation had been derailed and it needed time to get back on the track.

Videl shook a sugar packet, opened it, and slowly poured it's contents into the coffee. As she took her spoon to gently stir it Goku gulped. What had Videl found out?

Becoming impatient he finally asked, "Videl…?"

After taking a sip from her coffee the woman looked up at her father-in-law.

"Goku… I believe that everything that has happened between you and Gohan recently has to do with one primary thing."

"What?" Goku asked. He was eager to learn what Videl knew. If he knew exactly what it was that made Gohan so angry at him for all these years then he might have a chance at somehow correcting his wrongs and salvaging his relationship with him. It was an idea that had been bombarding his mind ever since Videl called him two days ago.

Videl sighed. She was trying to think of a way to word this without sounding judgmental.

"I believe this whole thing has to do with something that Gohan actually talked about when he confronted you. And that is this feeling of abandonment he's had. More specifically his feeling of abandonment after the Cell Games."

"The Cell Games?" Goku said, a little bit shocked. He knew Gohan had been bitter about his past decisions but did the 'main' cause of this whole strife between them really go back that far?

"I've talked with some people who I'd rather not name, because I don't want to get them too involved, but they told me what exactly happened that day. How when Cell was self-destructing you said your goodbyes to everyone, teleported to Cell, and then teleported him to Kaio-sama's place where you were killed by the explosion. They also told me how you refused to come back because you thought the Earth would be safer without you. Gohan alluded to this that night, didn't he?"

Goku hesitantly nodded.

Videl continued. "He also alluded to the guilt that he had faced when he felt you abandoned him. I think the feelings of guilt and then later abandonment related to your death at the Cell Games is the primary cause for his anger towards you. It's a topic that he has only vaguely talked about and when it is mentioned he usually is quick to change the subject. I believe what he has been hiding from everyone is the details of how he experienced things. And how he experienced things that day traumatized him. One of the people I've talked to about this said that they thought they noticed a change in Gohan after the Cell Games but they brushed it off as their own state of grieving. Based on what others have said I'm not sure if Gohan was really ever the same after that day.

Goku looked down to stare at his reflection in his coffee. Had his actions really caused such trauma? He had witnessed the anger that his son had towards him but what Videl was talking about brought everything to a whole other level.

While he took a moment to digest all this information he asked Videl to elaborate on some points. "You mentioned that he talked with your dad. What did he say?"

While Videl began to recount the bits and pieces that she had overheard, the rainstorm outside continued.

* * *

"Okasan can we get some lunch?" The blonde hair chibi asked.

Looking down at her daughter and smiling the older woman replied. "Of course Marron. They should have a nice food court at the mall around the corner."

"Yea! Then the aquarium?"

"We'll see." #18 replied with a wink, causing a giggle from her daughter.

It was sheer coincidence that the mother and daughter had planned an outing to East City the same day that Videl and Goku were meeting up, but it was even more of a coincidence that at that time #18 and Marron passed Le Café while on their way to their next destination.

As she chuckled with her daughter #18 looked around to make sure that she was indeed going in the right direction. While looking at the street signs something caught her eye.

There, across the street in a café, were Videl and Goku sitting together and appearing in what seemed to be a deep discussion. Rather surprised by the image in front of her #18 stopped. She knew about the strain between Gohan and Goku (after all she was at Gohan's Birthday Party) and she had heard that nobody in Gohan's family had seen Goku since they left Mount Paozu. So what was this about? Why were Goku and Videl meeting? And in East City of all places.

#18 didn't have much time to stare any longer as her daughter interrupted her internal monologue. "Ahh, Okasan, I'm getting wet!"

"Huh?" #18 asked as he snapped out of her daze.

Marron pointed to the umbrella that her mother had in her hand. "You have the umbrella remember."

"Oh, sorry Marron-chan."

"Let's go. The light says we can cross now."

#18 nodded and walked closely by her daughter to make sure she was shielded from the rain. As they crossed the street she took one last glance at the two in the café. Wondering what was happening… and what was going to happen.

* * *

Oblivious to the fact that they #18 and Marron had just passed them, Videl and Goku continued conversing.

"And you mentioned that you think you accidentally interrupted Gohan from saying something to Ox-King as well?"

"Yes, after I shouted for Gohan and came down the stairs Ox-King had this look on his face that told me that he felt that something was not quite right."

Goku leaned back in his chair as he looked outside the window. His expression showed both his concern and his frustration with the situation. What was he to do?

As if she was reading his mind Videl spoke up again. "You need to talk with him."

The Saiyan looked at her and leaned forward again.

"I want to Videl but I don't know how. Last time we spoke he wouldn't even look at me. No matter what I say I'm not sure if I would get through at all." Goku was now wallowing in self-pity. He had felt strong when this started but time was starting to wear on him. However, his daughter-in-law was not about to let him give up that easily.

"Goku I may not have known you as long as Bulma or Yamcha but ever since I met you I saw that you were not one to give up. Listen, I don't know what's going to happen with all this. Ideally we would all be in family therapy to help us get through this but as we both know this isn't a normal situation we are in. What I do know, however, is that something has to be done, if not to salvage your relationship with Gohan then to salvage Gohan's psyche. It's clear that he has suffered a lot of trauma that he has yet to deal with in a healthy way. I'm not going to lie to you, it sounds like you have made a lot of mistakes in your life that have, in one way or another, lead to this. But Goku, you have a chance to fix some of those mistakes to the best of your ability. Even if he doesn't 'want' to talk with you, you have to be persistent. He may not know it but this is a time that he needs you… to talk… to get his real feelings out. Don't abandon him again."

Goku was taken aback. Videl had never spoken to him in such a tone, but it was the kind of tough love that he had needed. She was right in everything she said. He needed to persevere through his doubt.

"You're right." He replied. "…You're right. I can't feel sorry for myself about this. I need to at least try to make amends. Now it's figuring out when, where, and how to do it."

Goku was at a loss once again but Videl came to his aid.

"Give this some time to sink in. Think about what you want to say to him. It would probably be best if you two talked a few months after the baby was born, when things settle down a little. That should give us plenty of time to plan something out."

He looked up at her. "Us?"

Videl smiled. "What? You think I'm going to let you take all the credit for this?" She then proceeded to take one last sip from her coffee while Goku chuckled in response. His daughter-in-law was truly someone unique.

After setting her coffee back down Videl announced that she had better start heading home. The two paid for their drinks and made there way back outside where the rain was slowing down to a drizzle.

"Thank you for meeting with me today Goku."

"No Videl, thank you." Goku smiled back, feeling hope for the first time in awhile.

"Like I said before, I haven't told anyone about this so for now lets keep this between us. That is until we figure something out."

Goku nodded.

"Goodbye Goku. Take care of yourself… and your family."

"Goodbye Videl." The Saiyan returned and then watched as his daughter-in-law walked away into the crowd. After she disappeared from his view Goku walked to a nearby deserted alley, quickly shot up into the sky above the air traffic and the rain clouds, and took off.

* * *

Feeling a bit emotionally drained from her conversation Videl made her way to her hover-car several blocks away. While the slight drizzle that persisted did not help her state of exhaustion the caffeine from the coffee she had helped to perk her up a little. At the moment she was just trying to take in everything that had just happened.

"Ugh." She groaned to herself. "I need a vacation."

As she reached her hover-car Videl tried her best to clear her mind but it wasn't easy. Things had become so complicated recently and she was worried about Gohan's mental health. Things would only get worse if he didn't have an outlet for his emotions.

After starting up the engine, she began to ascend into the air. It wasn't until she cleared the building in front of her that for the first time that day she felt a wave of relaxation. Through the slight drizzle, was one of the most picturesque horizons she had ever seen. The dark clouds were receding letting the sunlight shine on the emerald green mountains past the city limits.

It was a scene that caused Videl to fall into a state of much needed Zen.

.

.

.

… Unfortunately this state of Zen only last for a moment…

.

.

… because a city dump truck, blinded by the suns rays breaking through the clouds, mistakenly veered off course of normal air traffic…

.

.

.

… and smashed into the driver's side of Videl's hover-car.


	20. Chapter 19: ActionReaction

A/N: Hello everyone. I am happy to get this chapter up before I leave for my two-week vacation tomorrow. A quick few comments to make… I should have mentioned it last time but this story makes the assumption that East city was rebuilt after Nappa destroyed it in the Saiyan saga. I haven't had anyone question me about that yet but I just wanted to mention it just in case. For added reference on where everything thing is in the Dragonball Z world, I suggest going to the Pojo website (just google Pojo Dragonball Z world map) and keep in mind that the distance between Goku's house and Satan city (spots 4 and 1, respectively, in block B-4) is about 400 km, if I am remembering right.

Mount Frying Pan in spot 1 in block C-3, East City is spot 5 in block A-4, and North City is spot 3 in block A-3.

One last thing, non-fanfic related, I am a huge Dragonball Z nerd ^-^ and so I still collect DBZ cards and such. If you do too, or have a bunch of old ones you don't want anymore, just google 'trade cards online' and click on the site where you can trade them with me (I have the same name: TheMaskedOtaku). I mention this not because I'm getting paid or anything, but rather I want to improve my collection and I can do that if I have more people to trade with :D I didn't see anything in the guidelines saying this was against the rules (advertising a website for free) but if it is and you're an admin please let me know I will take it down. Thank you.

**Chapter 19: Action-Reaction**

It was the crash heard around the world.

The impact between Videl's hover car and the city garbage truck was so great that the force knocked Videl out of the passenger side of her vehicle, right before it exploded it a fiery blaze. The explosion had actually accelerated Videl's velocity as she landed hard on the roof of a nearby building. The garbage truck, because it was much larger, was still mostly intact when it made a crash landing on the same rooftop only a few meters from Videl. Glass, metal, and various other debris rained down on the streets below causing the pedestrians on the streets to take cover.

#18 and Marron had been finishing up their lunch at a nearby restaurant when the crash occurred. The sound of the impact had startled both of them but that didn't prevent #18 from running outside to see what was happening.

Her eyes widened as she saw the garbage truck crash land on the rooftop. At that moment she had no idea what had caused the crashed let alone that Videl was involved.

"Marron, stay here!" She shouted at her daughter before she flew up to the crash site, her hero instincts kicking in.

"Okasan!" Marron shouted back as her mother rushed to the scene. Her voiced showing her concern for her mother's safety.

But #18 continued on. Someone might need her help.

Fortunately many of the bystanders were too distracted to notice a woman 'flying' up to the wreckage.

Without realizing her good friend lay on the opposite side of the rooftop, #18 focused her attention on the garbage truck that was partially on fire. After landing near the vehicle she looked through the window and saw the two garbage men unconscious. Despite the fact that the doors had been partially welded shut from the heat, #18 ripped them off with ease. Through the smoke she looked over the men, their cloths were tattered and both had scrapes all over their body from the impact.

She quickly checked their pulse.

To her surprise both of them were alive.

Despite the fact that the hospital was only a few blocks away and that ambulances would be there soon #18 knew there was a strong possibility that fire would cause the truck to explode before they arrived. There was no other option but to get the men out of their… and fast!

As she ripped the seatbelt off the first man she knew she had to act quickly, but carefully. There was a chance that their necks might be broken and if she wasn't gentle enough then they could easily die.

She cautiously took the first man (the passenger) into her arms and hovered a few feet from the ground until she got to the other side of the rooftop behind one of the rooftop exits. At the moment, she still didn't realize that Videl was only a few feet on the other side of the exit.

By the time she got to the driver the flames had grown exponentially. Time was quickly running out. Again she tore the seat belt, gently lifted the driver up, and flew him over to where she had placed the other man. As she was laying the driver down next to the passenger she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She stood up and gasped… it was Videl!

Just about a half an hour ago she had seen Videl, safe and secure, and now the woman that she considered to be one of her best friends was lying before her, covered in blood with trash, that had spilled upon impact, all around her.

#18 had spotted Videl just in time because without warning, the fire that consumed the truck had found it's way to the gasoline tank and creating a large and violent explosion on the rooftop!

While the two men had been placed safely behind the rooftop exit, Videl remained in direct line of the scattering metal, glass, and trash caused by the explosion. With super speed #18 quickly made her way in front of Videl where she used her ki to deflect the large amount of debris and fire from hitting her friend.

Watching from below, Marron screamed as the explosion occurred.

"OKASAN!" She yelled at the top of her lungs with tears in her eyes.

* * *

(15 to 20 minutes earlier)

Goku flew away from East City, to Uub's Village in the west, with mixed emotions. He was hopeful, yet at the same time wary, for what the future would hold. While he knew all he could do now was wait, like Videl said, he couldn't stop thinking about everything else that she had mentioned during the conversation.

"I can't believe the root cause of all this goes back that far." Goku thought to himself as he began to reflect on the Cell Games. After teleporting Cell away from earth and then refusing to be revived, he had always assumed that things worked out for the better… that Gohan understood his decision. Then again, with everything that had been happening recently he was starting to wonder if HE really understood his own decision. One thing was for sure; he certainly did not foresee any of what was happening now.

The Saiyan sighed. "You just have to wait." He told himself. "Trust in what Videl has said today. Give it some more time. Wait till things settle down."

He took a few deep breaths as he tried to relax and clear his mind.

Unfortunately thoughts of the past, present, and future continued to bombard him.

Goku found himself questioning the possibility of something going wrong with Videl's plan. What if Gohan refused to talk with him? What if the talk was disastrous? What if…? What if…?

"Ughhh!" He groaned, as he held his head. "I've got to stop thinking about this right now or I'm going to make myself crazy."

In an effort to force his attention elsewhere Goku sped up his flight. But this extra exertion of ki did little to make his questioning thoughts go away.

"What if I had decided to come back? What if I had paid more attention to what was really going on? What if…?"

"Ahhh!" Goku groaned again. He stopped in mid-air to try to regain some control.

"No! I can't do this to myself."

Suddenly he felt something. He didn't know what it was but something in his head told him something was wrong. Looking around, all he could see were small rocky mountains with some trees spread sparsely in between them. Other than that there was… nothing.

Goku sighed again. He now felt like his mind was playing tricks on him. He knew he really needed to relax.

The Saiyan descended onto the ground and walked to the base of a nearby tree, where he sat down in a meditative pose. He focused his ki in an effort to clear his mind. Soon the entire world became blocked out as Goku entered a deep meditation to calm himself down.

As he did this, he failed to realize one thing. His mind had not been playing tricks on him just a moment ago. In reality that 'thing' he sensed was actually Videl's ki quickly diminishing as her hover car was hit. Goku had just been too distracted to recognize what it was. And now everything else that was about to happen…

…would go unnoticed because of his trance in his deep meditation.

* * *

(2 minutes before the crash)

In the southern region near Mount Frying Pan Trunks, Goten, Gohan, and Vegeta had finished their lunch and continued their hike through the mountainous area. At the moment they remained completely unaware of the accident that was about to occur several hundred miles away.

"So Goten, how is your homework assignment going?" Trunks asked his best friend with whom he shared the same class and thus the same assignment.

Goten groaned. "Not very good. I've found plenty of resources but I'm having a hard time grasping what they are all talking about. I swear the teacher gave me the hardest one on purpose."

"Oh come on Goten it can't be that hard." Trunks returned. He was met with a cold stare from the younger demi-saiyan. "Ugh… what's your topic again?" He hesitantly asked.

"Advanced organic chemistry in modern medicine."

"Yikes." Trunks said as he shuddered at the idea of trying to write an essay on that topic.

Goten sighed. "At this point I may as well collect the dragon balls and ask Shenron to write the essay for me."

This was greeted with laughter from the entire group. Unfortunately this laughter was cut short for one of them because at that instant, several hundred miles away, Videl was involved in a horrific accident.

Suddenly Gohan broke from his laughter.

Despite their distance as he could easily sense Videl's rapidly decreasing ki. The sense was so powerful that for a moment he actually could not move his body. He was frozen.

During this time images of the accident flooded his head.

"No… please no!" The demi-saiyan thought to himself.

Trunks, Goten, and Vegeta turned around to see Gohan with a look of surprise and fear on his face. They were unable to sense the tragic incident but they would soon find out about it.

"Gohan?" Trunks questioned, but his voice was not heard. Everything for Gohan had stopped. He knew that his world had just been turned upside down as he felt the love of his life, along with their unborn son, were very close to death… if they were not already.

"V-Videl…" He muttered.

Vegeta's eyes perked. He knew how deep the bond went between Gohan and Videl. Almost nothing was as powerful as the bond between Saiyan mates and Gohan shared that characteristic. If something were wrong, Gohan would be the first to sense it. And based on his face right now, something was VERY wrong.

Gohan suddenly had a serious look as he stared at the North Eastern horizon in the direction of East City. This made him panic even more. What was Videl doing that far from North City, where she was supposed to have her work meeting today? All of this went through his head in a split second because almost as soon as he looked in the direction that Videl was in, his ki jumped to extreme numbers and he violently flew into the sky towards her.

Without missing a beat Vegeta immediately transformed into a Super Saiyan as he took off after him. He had only slowed down slightly to yell at Trunks and Goten.

"FOLLOW HIM!"

Neither of the two younger demi-saiyans had any idea what was going on but based on Vegeta's reaction it was something extremely serious. The last time they heard that tone from him was when they were fighting Buu.

Trusting him, they both transformed into Super Saiyans and followed him.

By the time Trunks and Goten had gotten into the air Vegeta had already pushed himself into his Super Saiyan 2 transformation. He knew that he was going to need all the energy he could get just to keep up with Gohan, who's power right now was even greater than what they had felt at his birthday party so many months ago!

* * *

After the explosion on the rooftop the area was enveloped in smoke. This made #18 cough as she lowered her ki shield. She had managed to protect Videl from the shrapnel bits and fire from the explosion but she still didn't even know if her friend was alive.

Right now her ears were ringing and she felt a bit dazed after being so close to such an explosion. As she tried to focus her attention on Videl she could just make out the sounds of the several ambulances and fire fighter trucks as they made their way to the scene.

As she continued to collect herself she looked down at the blood covered Videl. Suddenly her heart sank. She could not sense a ki from Videl!

* * *

As they flew at incredible speeds Vegeta became increasingly worried. The power level of the man he was following was not leveling off… it just kept growing.

It was already well known that Gohan's power was determined heavily by his emotions. To this day it remained his greatest strength and his greatest weakness because, as they witness during his birthday party, he sometimes lacked control of that power. This is what made Vegeta nervous. With the emotional state he was in right now, Gohan's power was on the verge of becoming exceedingly unstable.

The Saiyan pushed himself harder as he realized this.

The fact that Piccolo had been able to stop Gohan from his own power that night of his birthday was nothing short of a miracle (see chapter 9). And yet this situation… was 100 times worse. This time Gohan wasn't just dealing with frustration. This time Gohan was dealing with emotions far more complex.

Vegeta knew that if something had happened to Videl, and Gohan were to snap, that he might not be able to stop him, even with the help of Goten and Trunks. If that was the case, Gohan's power could not only destroy the Earth… but a large chunk of the solar system!

* * *

As the ambulances landed on the roof (hover-cars obviously), #18 inched closer to Videl. Still she could not feel a ki.

"No…" #18 muttered. She refused to believe her friend was dead.

Using two fingers, #18 gently felt the side of Videl's neck. She had closed her eyes to concentrate for any feeling of life and to try to block out the various distractions around her.

It wasn't until the paramedics were on the ground running toward them that she opened her eyes and gasped.

.

.

.

.

"A pulse!"


	21. Chapter 20: Ki Sense

A/N: Yeah Chapter 20. However, there are a few quick things to cover first. In the previous chapters when I have discussed Marron I was writing her thinking she would be around 10 or 11 at this time. I was mistaken… she should be about 15 at this exact point in the story. So I apologize if I made her sound too young.

Hey, Toriyama made mistakes too so don't judge! LOL.

The second thing is that I got some feedback by a few people say that they felt Gohan's power level was a bit exaggerated with the whole 'blowing up a big chunk of the solar system' thing. Here was my thought process when I wrote that. In the Saiyan Saga, Vegeta had the capacity to blow up the Earth. Gohan now has a power level that exceeds Vegeta's old power level by, arguably, well over 10,000 times (possibly even 100,000 times). We also know that transformations and power ups can be violent, especially if they have emotion behind them. So that is where I came up with the 'blowing up more than just Earth by simply exerting power' idea. I also plan to explain my story in a more detailed manner, in a chapter or two after the ending. Anyway enjoy and please read and review.

**Chapter 20: Ki sense**

All across Earth the Z-warriors had been interrupted from their daily activities by the presence of a strong ki. At the moment nobody knew what it was, but they all knew that the sheer presence of such a ki indicated that something was wrong.

Krillin and Yamcha were training in a dojo together, about 10 miles outside of East City, when both of them suddenly stopped.

"Yamcha… do you feel that?" Krillin asked his friend as they both stared off in the same direction.

"Yea. Who do you think it is?" Yamcha returned nervously, fearing a new threat had just arrived from Earth. The funny thing was, this was not an evil ki.

Krillin closed his eyes as he concentrated harder. After a few seconds of focusing he opened his eyes wide in disbelief.

"…It's Gohan!"

* * *

All though it was weak, it was there… Videl's pulse.

"Hang in there." #18 muttered, hoping that some part of Videl could still hear her.

As several EMTs surrounded them, #18 backed away from her pregnant friend so that they could take care of her.

"Ma'am, why don't you sit down over here so we can take a look at you." One of the EMTs suggested while several others began loading Videl on a stretcher.

"I'm fine." #18 returned brushing him off. Her eyes were fixated on Videl as she kept muttering "Hang in there."

"But Ma'am-" The EMT said once again but was cut off by an annoyed #18.

"I said I'm fine!" She shouted causing the EMT to back off.

As the encounter unfolded, Videl was loaded into one of the ambulances, which quickly flew off towards the hospital. While the fate of her friend was no longer in her hands, #18 felt the need to hurry. She had just noticed Gohan's ki approaching. That meant he knew there was something wrong, which also explained why his ki was erratic and unstable. This was not a situation she could handle herself.

Without giving it a second thought the former android flew off the rooftop, back down to the street, leaving behind a stunned EMT crew.

As she headed back towards the spot where she had left Marron, she was relieved to see that her daughter had not moved.

"Okasan!" Marron shouted as #18 landed in front of her. The young girl then embraced her mother in a hug. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'm fine Marron-chan, but right now we have to hurry to the hospital and call Otousan." #18 replied.

"Wha… Why?" Marron questioned again. But instead of answering, #18 grabbed her daughter and flew towards the hospital a few blocks away.

Time was of the essence right now.

* * *

Back at the dojo, Krillin and Yamcha remained frozen. It had been several minutes since they first felt Gohan's ki, and it was getting more and more intense.

"I think he's heading this way." Yamcha said as he tried to concentrate. The demi-saiyan was still very far away but his growing presence indicated that he was indeed getting closer.

This further baffled the two friends. They could sense nothing around them that would cause Gohan to be exerting this much energy. What on Earth was going on?

"Krillin!" Yamcha suddenly shouted, getting his friend's attention. "He's not alone! Behind him… I can make out three other ki."

Now Krillin began to worry. Was Gohan trying to escape some unknown entities? Wanting to check for himself, he closed his eyes once more to concentrate.

After several seconds of focusing in on the three separate ki he opened his eyes. "It's Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten!" He exclaimed, not knowing if this made things worse or better. What the hell was happening?

Before they have a chance think about it any further, Krillin's cellular phone rang.

After making his way over to the table he left the phone on, he saw it was a call from #18. Surely she had felt the same thing that he and Yamcha had felt.

"#18!" He answered but was immediately cut off by his wife.

"Krillin you have to get over here now! There's been an accident!"

He gripped the phone tighter. "What accident? Where are you!"

"Marron and I are at the East City Downtown Hospital. It's Videl… Videl was just involved in a car accident here!"

Krillin's eyes widened. Suddenly it all made sense. Gohan was rushing here because he somehow knew something happened to Videl. It explained why his ki was so unlike anything they had sensed before.

After quickly regained his composure he responded. "We'll be right there."

"We have to go! Now!" Krillin yelled frantically as he ran to the door, pocketing his phone.

Yamcha, without hesitation, followed. But before they had an opportunity to shoot off into the air he managed to ask, "What is it? What's happened?"

"Videl was just involved in a car accident in East City. #18 and Marron are at the hospital now."

Now it all made sense for Yamcha.

It remained unsaid but based on Gohan's ki, both men began to fear what might happen if Videl did not make it.

* * *

*Meanwhile in Satan City*

"Hmmm…" Buu thought to himself as he looked towards the horizon from the balcony of the Satan house. He had been standing there for a few minutes trying to figure everything out. One minute he's going about his day as normal and the next minute he senses a powerful ki heading in his direction. It didn't take him to decipher that it was Gohan and that the three ki's behind him belonged to Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten. But what he didn't understand (like many others who felt Gohan's ki), was what was going on. And more importantly, why did it seem that they were heading directly towards Satan City.

Of course Buu did not yet know that East City was Gohan's destination. Satan City was in direct line with East City in respect to where Gohan and the others were coming from. Simply put, there was no avoiding flying over it.

As the former Majin thought about what action he should take next he spotted a glimmer on the horizon… they were here.

Buu was about to jump into the air to try and meet them, when he was interrupted.

"Hey Buu what are you staring at?" Mr. Satan asked as he came out of the bathroom, still wiping his wet hair from the shower he had just taken.

"Huh? Oh th-" Before he could finish, the sounds of the four Z warriors passing nearby were heard.

Zoom… zoom…... zoom.. zoom

Such high speed, so close to them, caused for the house to shake.

"Wha… are those fighter jets?" Mr. Satan shouted as he clung on to a chair.

"Eh?" Buu said, turning back towards the horizon. He noticed that the four Saiyans were quickly disappearing in the other direction. He immediately realized he had misjudged not only, where they were headed (since they past right over Satan City), but also just how fast each of them were flying.

"Buu, what was that?" Mr. Satan questioned.

Buu remained silent and he continued to stare in the direction Gohan and the others had headed.

Mr. Satan was about to repeat his question when the phone beside him rang.

"Moshi Moshi." He greeted as he picked up the telephone.

"Satan-san! It's Krillin!" The short man's voice had a sense of urgency that first went unnoticed.

"Oh hey Krillin I-"

"Satan-san listen, you need to get to East City Downtown Hospital right now."

"East City Downtown Hospital?" Mr. Satan repeated, obviously confused. However, this caught the attention of Buu. He realized that East City was in the direction that Gohan, Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten were headed.

"Why is something wrong?" Mr. Satan asked.

Krillin hesitated for a moment. He loathed delivering bad news to people. The whole process intimiated him. However, after glancing up into his wife's eyes, he summoned the courage to say what he had to say.

"It's Videl… Videl has been involved in a bad car accident here in East City. #18, Yamcha, and I are at the hospital now." He continued on to say more but as soon as he had mentioned that Videl was in a bad car accident… Mr. Satan had blocked everything out.

In an instant his world was turned completely upside down.

Could this really be happening… again?

The phone slide out of his hand and dangled off the edge of the table by the cord attached to the receiver. The World Champion felt his body go completely numb. No longer able to support his own body, he dropped to his knees.

While he saw Buu run towards him, he continued to feel completely detached from himself, almost like he was watching a silent movie. The only thing he could hear was his own voice, as he muttered the name of his daughter, his only daughter.

"Vi-Videl."

* * *

Without knowing what was occurring on the other end of the line, Krillin continued to speak until he realized that Mr. Satan was not responding.

"Satan-san?" He questioned. "… Satan-san!... SATAN-SAN!"

Without any response Krillin hung up, assuming that the connection had gone bad, and tried to dial again. This time he was greeted with a busy signal, since Mr. Satan's phone was still off the hook.

"Damn it!" He shouted as he slammed the phone back down on the receiver.

#18 sighed. "Krillin, right now there is nothing else we can do. He knows where we are… He'll come." She was trying to be comforting. So much was happening so fast.

"Let me try again." He responded. As he was dialing he turned back towards her. "You contacted Bulma and Chi-Chi right?"

#18 nodded.

"And Yamcha has already contacted Master Roshi?" He asked, making a mental checklist in his head. Before #18 could answer, Krillin heard the busy signal once again and hung up.

"It looks like he just finished talking with him." She commented as she motioned at Yamcha, a few meters away, closing Krillin's cell phone.

"Here you go Krillin. They're on their way." Yamcha stated solemnly as he handed his friend back his phone. The shock of everything was starting to hit him.

As the trio tried to think about the next course of action, a doctor approached them.

"Ahem, are you the one's here for the young woman? The one who was just involved in the car accident."

"Yes. Videl Satan!" #18 exclaimed.

The doctor was immediately stunned. "Eh, Videl Satan… you mean that young woman is 'The' Videl Satan, daughter of Mr. Satan."

#18 became annoyed. "Yes, didn't you guys-" Then she remembered, she had never told the EMTs her name. She might have assumed that they would know who she was, being the daughter of 'The Savior of Earth', but then again when she was on that rooftop, Videl was almost unrecognizable with the condition she was in.

"I forgot to tell the EMTs her name… and when we came in we started to make phone calls right away." #18 said in a frustrated tone. So many things were happening, they all seemed to be losing track of so many things.

With that confirmation, the doctor turned to a nurse behind the table. "Call Dr. Masako and tell her we have Videl Satan in here."

Now it was Yamcha's turn to get annoyed. The doctor had never said anything about her status, and right now all of them were low on patience. "How is she? Is she alive?" He shouted.

Refocusing his attention, the doctor faced them again. "Right now she's alive, and so is the baby."

A slight wave of relief hit them.

She and the baby were both still alive!

"But,…" The doctor continued. "…right now they are both still in danger."

The look of concern returned to their faces.

"As I mentioned, nothing seems to be wrong with the baby but Videl is not in great shape. The nurses are cleaning her up and taking care of basic first aid as we speak. She got a lot of debris on her during the crash so that is going to make things difficult. They're also running a lot of tests to determine what damage has been done to her body. We already know that she has several objects that have penetrated deep into her body that will require us to go in surgically, but we don't yet know if she has any organ damage, which could severely complicate things. Rest assured though that we are doing everything we can to make sure that she and the baby stay alive."

"Is there something we can do?" #18 asked. She absolutely hated the feeling of not being able to do anything.

"Well you mentioned you already made phone calls. If Mr. Satan and her husband…" The doctor looked at Videl's medical record that had just been brought up by the nurse. "…Son Gohan… if they know about the accident and are on their way here…"

The trio eyed each other.

"… then I don't see what else can be done right now. We just need to wait for the test results, which should hopefully come in shortly. I'll be sure to keep you updated but right now I need get back and see how the nurses are doing on her."

Following a nod from Krillin, which showed they understood, the doctor grabbed his medical chart and went back to where Videl was.

Knowing that there was nothing else they could do, Yamcha, Krillin, and #18 proceeded to sit in the waiting area, where Marron had been seated.

"What did they say?" She asked. "Is Videl going to be alright?"

Krillin sighed as he sat in the chair next to his daughter. "We don't know. The doctors are doing what they can."

Marron could see how upset her parents were so she decided not to ask any more questions. This was something that time could only tell.

As the minutes dragged by they could feel Gohan's ki getting closer and closer. This caused an increasingly tense atmosphere. Suddenly Yamcha stood up. He couldn't take just sitting around. He had to do something.

"I'm going to the cafeteria to get something to drink." He announced. "Does anyone want anything?"

Both #18 and Krillin shook there heads but their daughter had the same idea as Yamcha.

"I think I'll go with you." Marron said as she hopped out of her chair. "I need something to drink."

"OK." Yamcha then turned to Krillin and #18. "We'll be right back."

As they left, #18 looked over her shoulder to make sure they were no longer within hearing distance and then turned to her husband.

"Krillin." She said, but the words did not seem to resonate with him. He was currently biting at his thumbnail trying to think of the best way to handle this situation with Gohan.

"Krillin!" She shouted while nudging him.

"Huh? What is it?" Her husband asked as he snapped out of his daze.

"There's something that I think you should know. Before the accident, when Marron and I were heading to lunch, I saw Videl in a Café window… but she wasn't alone."

#18 looked over her shoulder once more to make sure that Yamcha and Marron had not come back. Krillin became confused. Why was she being so secretive?

"Krillin… sitting across from her… I saw Goku."

Immediately, he remembered how last weekend Videl had mentioned to him and Bulma that she wanted to talk to Goku about the differences she had seen in Gohan. She had wanted to understand more about his past and why he was so angry with his father. The accident must have occurred right after she left the Café… and from what Gohan had said before about Goku staying out of his life, he probably had no idea about this meeting.

"Crap!" Krillin swore. "Videl had told Bulma and I that she was planning on meeting Goku but nobody… nobody could have known that this would happen." He stood up and started to pace. Somehow, things just got much more worse.

"What? What are you talking about? When was this?" #18 asked. She had no idea her husband knew something about this 'meeting'.

Krillin stopped his pacing and briefly summarized the events of the previous weekend

As he finished describing the discussion to her, he mentioned that the last thing Videl said was that she wanted to meet with Goku. "It was something that I know she felt she would have to keep a secret, but she seemed determine to talk with him."

#18 suddenly realized why her husband was pacing about now. This was not good.

Krillin verbalized what they were both thinking. "With the condition Gohan is in right now he would probably blame Goku for the accident, thinking if Goku had stayed away from them, then all this would have never of happened."

"And we have no idea where he is!" #18 added showing further frustration with the circumstances.

"What!" Krillin asked, startled once again. "You mean Goku? Wouldn't he have reached his house by now?"

#18 shook her head. "When I called Chi-Chi she said that he hadn't arrived, and before I called, she had called Uub's village to see when he was coming home, but he wasn't there either."

Poor Krillin felt that he was practically on the verge of a heart attack. "This is bad… Nobody knows where he is?"

#18 was going to respond but at that moment her eyes grew wide as she was fixated on something behind her husband.

Realizing this, Krillin (hesitantly) turned around to see a familiar face in the entry doorway of the Emergency Room.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Gohan… had arrived.


	22. Chapter 21: Like Father Like Son

A/N: Another chapter down. Only note here is that Shimmata is Japanese for 'Shit'. Gotta have some swearing in these desperate situations ;) Enjoy and please review with what you like and what you don't like (with suggestions for improvement).

**Chapter 21: Like Father Like Son**

"G-Gohan." Krillin stammered in his speech. #18 and him had been so distracted with their conversation that the demi-saiyan practically snuck up on them.

"Where is she?" Gohan shouted. He had only found the hospital because he sensed Krillin, #18, and Yamcha's ki. Being in the same location as where he felt Videl's ki diminish, he put two and two together and concluded they were there, because she was there.

Before #18 or Krillin could answer, Vegeta, followed by Trunks and then Goten, landed in front of the hospital entrance and quickly made there way inside.

"Is Videl still alive?" Gohan shouted again, this time with a more shaky voice. Videl's ki had diminished so much he could no longer sense her.

As Vegeta approached the distressed husband from behind he realized this was exactly what he had feared. Videl was somewhere in the hospital, fighting for her life… or perhaps already dead.

To make up for her nervous husband who was greatly intimidated by all the new company, #18 confronted Gohan. "Videl is still alive, Gohan. The doctors are seeing her right now."

"What happened to her?" He asked. Although he had images of the car accident flood his mind when it happened, he needed conformation.

"She was involved in a car accident. While she was driving, a garbage truck slammed into her." #18 replied.

Of course now things started to click for Goten and Trunks who had no idea why Gohan had taken off and why Vegeta had been so hastened to follow him.

At that moment a doctor had rushed though the entrance to the front desk, passing everyone. "I got a call, you have Videl Satan!" The doctor said as she tried to catch her breath. As soon as she said this, the previous doctor had come back to the lobby.

"I have the test results for Videl Satan back and- Oh Dr. Masako." He said noticing his colleague. "I'm glad you're here. As you know we have Videl Satan here because she was involved in a car accident. We just got some of the test results back." He handed her the results, which she immediately started reviewing.

"Shimmata!" She began to curse.

"What? What is it?" Gohan asked as he approached them.

"Who are you?" Dr. Masako almost shouted back. Like everyone else she was on edge. After all it isn't everyday that you get a call in the middle of lunch stating that you're needed because the daughter of Mr. Satan was in a serious car accident.

"I'm her husband. Where is she? How's the baby?"

"Oh, you must be Son Gohan." The other doctor commented as he also realized that Krillin and #18, the two other people he had talked to just a few minutes ago, were standing beside him. As he said this Dr. Masako was quickly corresponding with some of the nurses as she initialed several forms and ordered calls to be made to the back where Videl was. Things were quickly escalating.

In response to the other doctor Gohan shouted "Yes!" He was started to get irritated at the chaos that was developing as more and more people were rushing around them based on Dr. Masako's orders. It seemed like everyone knew what was going on except him.

Upon hearing Gohan's conformation that he was indeed Son Gohan, the other doctor turned to yet another nurse and began to ask for various papers.

…That was it.

Despite the fact that he was trying to maintain his composure, Gohan's power spiked as the frustration of not getting any answers finally reached a tipping point.

"TELL ME WHATS HAPPENING TO MY WIFE AND MY SON!" He shouted as he slammed his fist on counter, demolishing a huge portion of it. Suddenly everything came to an immediate halt and he now had everyone's undivided attention.

"Please… tell me what's going on." Gohan said with a drastic change in tone. It was almost as if he was now begging them to tell him what was going on.

The doctors looked at each other, and then back at the distraught husband and father before them. They had never witnessed such power before. Of course, it made some sense that the World's Champions daughter would marry a martial artist. Little did they know…

Deciding that they had made a mistake in not answering his questions Dr. Masako finally spoke up.

"Both your wife and the baby are alive but right now your wife is in very critical condition. The accident left her with many broken bones and deep cuts. As we speak other doctors are working on her to remove some foreign objects that pierced deep into her arms and legs. However, that's not the biggest concern. Since no vital organs were damaged the biggest problem we are facing right now is infection."

By now Yamcha and Marron came running back from the cafeteria.

"Gohan!" Yamcha shouted as he made his way through the crowd of healthcare workers to see some of the damage that had already been done. He had felt Gohan's power surge and knew that the destroyed counter that greeted him was a product of that. Thankfully, however, that was the only thing destroyed… so far.

While everyone continued to be on edge (especially Vegeta), Gohan ignored Yamcha's greeting and asked for the doctor to continue.

Dr. Masako cleared her throat. "Ahem,… As I was saying, not only has she been severely injured but also a lot of bacteria from the garbage has gotten into her body. We have the anti-biotics needed to treat her, which we have already begun to administer, but her body is incredibly stressed out with trying to heal her cuts AND fight off the infection. The plan is to first tend to her wounds first, but there is a possibility the infection could spread and complicate matters."

This was hard news to swallow for everyone. They were all thinking the same thing. If Videl died, it would be because of the infection,… which is considered a _natural_ death; something Shenlon cannot bring people back from. Subsequently, if she died then the baby would die as well, if not from the same infection, then by lack of oxygen and nutrients provided by Videl. If she died, neither one of them would be able to be wished back with the Dragon Balls and they would be gone… forever!

Gohan began to shake.

"This could not be happening." He told himself. "This just could not be happening. This had to be a bad dream." And once again, his power began to fluctuate.

Even without the ability to sense ki the doctors could tell how distraught Gohan was. In order to avoid further damage to the lobby both doctors took him into an adjacent room. As some of the others followed, Vegeta lagged behind and subtly pulled Goten and Trunks back towards the hospital entrance.

"Wha-What are you doing tousan?" Trunks asked.

"Listen." Vegeta told them, while his eyes remained fixated on Gohan's location. "All of us know that if his wife dies from an infection she won't be able to come back."

He didn't bother for a response before continuing. "The doctor said that right now her body is too stressed because of all the cuts on her body. If these were treated they could focus on the infection." Vegeta then looked at the two demi-saiyans. "Despite how much energy we exerted to get here you two still remain the fastest out of everyone here, aside from him and myself. That's why you need to go get some senzu beans for Videl, before it's too late."

"Wouldn't getting Dende be better?" Goten asked.

"That would take too much time." Trunks answered. He knew exactly what was going through his father's mind. Without the senzu both Videl and the baby would most likely die and the resulting emotional strain on Gohan… well… let's just say the scene at his birthday party would pale in comparison. Of course that is why his father was staying behind. He was the only one who stood even a remote chance of stopping Gohan if he snapped.

Trunks turned to his friend.

"Let's go Goten!" He shouted before sprinting outside.

Goten quickly followed and the two were once again in the air.

* * *

Shortly after taking flight Trunks had already thought of the best way to utilize both of their energies.

"Goten." He shouted once again to his friend. "I'll go Korin's Tower as fast as I can to get the senzu. You lag behind to preserve your energy and stop once you've gotten 2/3 of the way there. Once I get the senzu I'll fly back to that point and hand it off to you so you can fly back here as fast as you can."

"Hai!" Goten said as he gave his friend a head nod.

With that, Trunks powered up and greatly accelerated his speed. Based on the reactions that everyone had in the hospital he could tell time was not on their side, so he had to make every second count.

* * *

Vegeta watched as the two young demi-saiyans disappeared over the mountain ridge towards Korin's Tower. Videl's fate, and possibly everyone else's, rested in their hands.

"Hurry." He muttered to himself in hopes that they would not be too late.

"Vegeta!" Krillin said as he ran up to the Saiyan. "What's going on? Where are Trunks and Goten going?" Like the others he shared the same concern that Gohan might snap if Videl didn't make it, and he believed they would need everyone they could get to control him if that did.

Vegeta turned towards the short man with his arms crossed. "They are headed to Korin's Tower to get some Senzu. It might be the only chance Videl has." He replied. Without the feeling he needed to explain further, he started to walk back towards the rest of the group. He didn't have to explain his plan because right now he had to be focused and prepare for the worst case scenario.

However, Krillin understood what the Saiyan Prince was trying to accomplish. Lagging behind, he looked out towards the direction of Korin's Tower realizing that Vegeta was right… this might be Videl's only chance. He turned towards the lobby, ready to join the others, when a glimmer caught his eye.

"Eh?" He said aloud and turned back around. Something was heading towards them…

"I think they're heading back here." Krillin yelled to Vegeta.

"Nani!" The Saiyan questioned angrily. Why would they be heading back? Didn't they understand that they had to get the senzu as soon as possible?

Running out to join Krillin in front of the hospital entrance he noticed that not only was it just one figure approaching them, but it was from a slightly different direction.

As the figure got closer he was able to identify the ki.

"It's Buu." He exclaimed in a calm voice. "We flew right over Satan City to get here so there is no doubt he sensed us."

"Mr. Satan is probably with him." Krillin mentioned. "I'll wave them down." He added before jumping into the air.

While he ascended into the sky he contemplated the possible benefits Mr. Satan might add to the situation. "In the worst case scenario, maybe Gohan can find some comfort in sharing his grief with someone who is just as close with Videl." He realized it was a morbid thought, but the reality of the situation before them was what it was.

Once he was at eye level with Buu, Krillin began to wave his hands back and forth to get the monster's attention.

"Yo… over here." He shouted, causing Buu to slightly adjust his direction until the two were in front of one another (with Mr. Satan on Buu's back).

"Buu, Satan-san." Krillin greeted, trying his best to not sound too distressed.

"Ooh, Krillin. Where's Videl? Is she OK?" Mr. Satan asked, with panic in his voice.

Krillin didn't quite know how to answer this. She was alive… but far from being OK. "The doctors are still taking care of her." He replied, keeping it short. He then gestured for them to follow. "They can explain better than I can at this point."

They descended upon the entrance to the hospital and immediately Mr. Satan jumped off of Buu's back and rushed into the waiting room filled with their friends.

"Satan-san." Yamcha motioned from the adjacent room.

The World Champion rushed in to join Dr. Masako, Gohan, and Yamcha.

"Satan-san!" Gohan and Dr. Masako said in unison.

"Gohan." Mr. Satan greeted his son-in-law with an emotional hug.

"Where is Videl? Is she alright?" He asked nervously.

Gohan faced away from his father-in-law, not wanting to answer. Seeing this interaction Dr. Masako took the initiative to explain.

"Mr. Satan, as you may know your daughter was involved in a car accident. While she is still in critical condition, she is alive." The doctor went on to explain the complications that were taking precedence, and how right now they had a team of doctors doing their best to keep her alive.

Mr. Satan sat down to try to digest all of this information. How could he be reliving this nightmare again? As thoughts of the past entered his mind he remembered that the doctor had only touched briefly on the status of the baby, stating that he was alive.

"What about the baby?" He asked. "Will there be complication when she makes it through this and delivers him." He had worded his sentence that way on purpose. Videl would make it… she had to.

"That's what I was just about to show your son-in-law before you walked in." Dr. Masako mentioned as she looked at Gohan and then back down to the large folder she had in her hand. Taking out a transparent slide, she propped it up against an illuminated white backdrop on the wall. "This is a near full body x-ray of Videl."

The various broken bones along with the numerous metal objects that infested her body astounded the men. Upon first look they all felt sick to their stomachs as they saw the extent of the damage, but upon closer inspection Gohan realized just exactly what he was looking at.

Dr. Masako took a pointer to highlight the significance of the x-ray.

"As you can see here, all these shards of metal hit Videl in non-vital places. Her arms and legs are have numerous wounds but her abdomen is perfectly clean and her chest area has only minor damage. We suspect that she had instinctively covered her head as much as she could when the crash occurred, which would explain the some of the additional wounds on her arms but we can't explain how all of the metal fragments missed all of her vital organs and…" Dr. Masako pulled out a second x-ray slide and put it next to the first. This second slide was a close up image of Videl's pelvic area. "… as you can see here, the baby is completely untouched with metal fragments around him almost as if-"

"As if they were deflected." Yamcha finished her sentence as he too began to realize exactly what this meant.

*beep beep beep*

Dr. Masako's pager went off. Looking down at it she quickly excused herself, telling everyone that she would be right back. But nobody paid much attention to her leaving, instead they remained fixated on the x-rays.

"What-What is it?" Mr. Satan asked, feeling like he missed something.

"The way the metal is deflected suggests that ki was used as protection." Yamcha answered.

"You mean Videl used her ki to protect the baby?" Mr. Satan questioned further as Gohan approached the x-rays to get an even closer look.

As the demi-saiyan traced some of the patterns with his fingers he answered his father-in-law.

"No."

"No?" Mr. Satan questioned once again.

"These deflection patterns don't suggest that Videl was in much control at the time." Gohan was still in disbelief.

Yamcha took a few steps towards him. "So, it wasn't Videl's ki protecting them,…" He stated, trailing off at the end.

Gohan turned around to face them, as he finished Yamcha's train of thought. "It was the baby's"


	23. Chapter 22: Tik Toc

A/N: 100 people have favorited (is that an actual word… maybe in the context of ) my story! Thank you so much to everyone! I hope you all enjoy this chapter :)

**Chapter 22: Tik Tok**

Back in the lobby Krillin sat next to his wife in an exhausted stated.

"How long do you think it will take them?" #18 asked.

"Huh?" He said, snapping out of his daze.

"Trunks and Goten. Vegeta told me that they are getting some senzu for Videl. How long do you think it will take them to get it and come back here?"

Krillin rested his chin back on his hand. "I dunno, but hopefully it will be soon."

As Buu overheard the conversation he became curious. "Senzu?"

"Uh- yea." The short man stuttered. He realized that they hadn't gotten Buu up to speed on what exactly was happening. "The accident that Videl was in was with a garbage truck, so on top of physical wounds she has a massive bacterial infection from all the trash she was exposed to. The doctors have the medicine to treat the infection but her body is too stressed out right now with trying to heal her wounds and fight off the bacteria, so Vegeta sent Goten and Trunks to retrieve some Senzu. They've said that things are not looking good right now, meaning this might be the only chance she's got." Those last words were hard to say.

Buu looked around the lobby. Something was amiss with the scene. "Where's Son (Goku)?"

"Eh?" Krillin and #18 asked simultaneously.

Buu looked back at them. "I sense three power levels approaching, two from that direction…" He pointed, turned, and then pointed off in another direction. "… and one from there. But I don't think any of them are Son's, so where is he?"

The couple looked at each other with hesitation and before they could answer Vegeta, who had been leaning against the wall, spoke up. "He's right you know."

They all turned towards the Saiyan Prince to be greeted by that infamous scowl.

"Even with the tension between them, Kakkarot should be here. Everyone felt Gohan's ki, which is why Piccolo, Tien, and Chaotzu, those ki that you sensed, are headed this way as we speak. So why hasn't Kakkarot teleported here already? Where the hell is he?"

"He's right." #18 agreed. Even though she often didn't see eye-to-eye with Vegeta she had to give him credit for his observation skills. Goku should have been here, perhaps even before Gohan. After all, he was just in East City having lunch with Videl minutes before the accident AND he had the power of teleportation. Heck, this whole thing could have been over almost as soon as it started if Goku had teleported here, understood the situation, teleported to Dende, and then teleported back with him so that the Namekian could heal Videl. With that scenario there was even the possibility of him and Gohan reconciling because he would have saved Videl's life. So what earth had happened to him?

She bit at her nail. "Something's wrong with all this."

"Well, he wasn't with Chi-Chi when we called." Krillin said thinking out loud. "And she even called Uub's village but he's not there either. So where could he have gone after lunch with Videl-" His hands immediately went over his mouth in a physical attempt to keep the words in but it was too late. Everyone in the lobby had heard him.

"Nani!" Vegeta almost yelled. A vein was clearly protruding itself around his temple.

While Vegeta was on the verge of a heart attack, #18 looked in disbelief at her husband. She was going kill him. Could this man keep one single secret?

"Explain!" Vegeta tried his best not to shout but the tone of his voice well made up for the volume he was suppressing. Right now, Krillin was in between an angry wife and an angry Saiyan, there was no worse situation.

"Ugh… well… umm." He stuttered, looking back and forth between the two. It was hard to tell who was more upset, which scared him even more.

"Hey guys." Yamcha peeked his head out of the hospital room, unknowingly interrupting Krillin's inquisition. "You might want to look at this."

Needless to say his short friend, leapt over the chair he was sitting in, to escape his dangerous predicament, and was the first person joining the others in the hospital room.

At that same moment Marron came back from the bathroom. "What's wrong with Otousan?" She asked, oblivious to what had transpired while she was away.

#18 and Vegeta gave each other a quick glance. At the very least Krillin didn't spill the beans in front of his daughter. If there was anyone who was worse at keeping a secret than Krillin, it was his pre-teen daughter.

"Yamcha said they found something." #18 replied without actually lying to her daughter. She then turned to Buu, who had remained silent throughout the ordeal. "I need you to watch Marron for a minute while I go and see what's going on." Leaning in closer to him she whispered, "And don't mention anything that we were just talking about."

The semi-socially inept monster simply nodded. He didn't quite understand what was going on but he could always find out later.

After #18 finished she quickly joined her husband, followed by Vegeta, who was not thrilled with not getting answers but at the same time realized the fragility of the topic and determined having the discussion near Gohan was certainly not a good idea. He would simply have to wait.

As the three walked into the room, it was hard to miss the X-rays that Gohan was still studying. Krillin gave Yamcha a puzzled look. "What's going on?"

"The doctor just gave up some news about Videl's condition and showed us these X-rays." His friend replied. "It turns out all the shrapnel from the accident missed the baby and Videl's internal organs."

The three scanned the images up on the illuminated section of the wall. While #18 and Krillin remained confused as to how this could occur, Vegeta immediately recognized what Yamcha was trying to point out. He began to feel mildly agitated that the 1/4th Saiyan baby was already displaying such power but he also felt a sense of pride that the Saiyan genetics was living up to it's name and was not yet eradicated/watered-down from this universe.

A few moments later, both #18 and Krillin had picked up on the same thing that everyone else had.

"Is that…?" Krillin asked, not completing his sentence. But Yamcha knew exactly what he was asking and nodded with a "Mhmm."

A silence overcame the group as they began to reflect on this revelation, and on the events of the day.

Unlike the others, however, Mr. Satan wasn't just focused on the events of today but also on the events that happened over 20 years ago when his wife was tragically killed in a similar car accident. In fact, the similarities between the two events were actually quite eerie. Both his wife and daughter were involved in a major car accident, in East City,… and both were pregnant with their second child! He had never told Videl, but shortly before her mother's car accident they had found out that she was indeed 'with child'. Of course fate had another plans because, before they had told anyone, both Mrs. Satan and the baby (along with any prospects for having the family he always dreamed of) where gone. Now history seemed to be repeating itself. Except for the fact that Videl was further along in her pregnancy, everything read just like her mother's accident.

Mr. Satan looked up at the X-rays once more and then looked at his son-in-law. "No." He thought. "Not everything is the same." They now had more resources at their disposal, medicine had improved, and most importantly, Videl was carrying the baby of one of the strongest (if not, the strongest) being in the universe. History was NOT going to repeat itself! His daughter, and his unborn grandson, were going to make it through this!

"Son Gohan." Dr. Masako announced as she barged into the room, getting everyone's attention. "You're wife, she just went into labor!"

"Nani!" He shouted back. "B-But she isn't due for another month!"

"I know." She replied while frantically gathering various forms and folders from a nearby desk. "The accident probably triggered an early labor." She then turned to the others. "I'm sorry but only family members can be back in the delivery room." She motioned for Gohan and Mr. Satan to follow her. It was obvious that this baby was coming, and soon, because she was wasting no time.

The demi-Saiyan gave one last look to his friends as he and Mr. Satan joined Dr. Masako in a rush down the various hallways to where Videl was.

Everyone knew this was the worst possible time for this baby to arrive. Videl's body was already so exhausted from the accident that they all wondered if the added stress of labor would simply be too much.

Vegeta cursed under his breath. Where the hell were Trunks and Goten?

* * *

"KOOOORRRIIIINNNNNNN!" Trunks shouted as he approached the infamous tower. The white cat looked up in the sky, shielding his eyes from the harsh sun with his paw.

"Who on Earth…?" He asked himself.

"KORIN, WE NEED SENZU!" Trunks shouted again as he slowed down his approach and stopped in front of him, whilst still hovering in the air.

"Ack, don't you people ever call first?" Korin asked, somehow oblivious to the urgency in Trunks' voice and the fact that he was in his Super Saiyan transformation, not something too common in times of peace.

"KORIN THERE IS NO TIME! WE NEED SOME SENZU BEANS – NOW!"

The tone Trunks had taken startled the cat. Korin immediately began searching for his bag of precious senzu. While he rummaged through some of his things the Super Saiyan became increasingly impatient.

"KORIN!" He yelled the cats name once more.

"Ah, here they are!" Korin said as he held up a small bag and tossed them to the young demi-saiyan. As soon as he got hold of the bag, Trunks sped off in the direction from which he came. His speed was so great that he caused a whirlwind, which knocked Korin off his feet, leaving him dazed and confused about what had just happened.

* * *

Knowing there was nothing else they could do Vegeta, Yamcha, Krillin, and #18 went back into the lobby.

While Vegeta immediately began pacing about, the others sat down in a fit of fatigue.

"What happened to Satan-san?" Buu asked.

Krillin looked up at him to try and answer but no words were able to come out of his mouth. Instead, Yamcha answered Buu. "He went with Gohan to see Videl, she's in labor."

"Videl's having the baby?" A distance voice asked.

Surprised, Krillin looked around. He recognized that voice. As he looked towards the lobby door his suspicions were confirmed.

"Tien!" He greeted as he got out of his seat to meet his friend. Looking behind him he saw the others they were all expecting. "Chaotzu! Piccolo!"

While the first two seemed happy to see their friends once again, the Namekian remained rigid. He knew the ki he felt from Gohan a while ago wasn't a result of hurrying to Videl's side because she was in labor. Something else had occurred, something bad.

"Krillin!" He finally spoke up, interrupting the greetings. "What's happened? You know as well as I do that we all are not here just because Videl is in labor. Something else has happened."

The short man nodded regretfully and quickly filled in the newcomers as to what had already taken place.

.

.

.

"And that's everything up until now. We're all just hoping that Trunks and Goten get here soon." Krillin said as he concluded his summarization of today's events.

Tien and Chaotzu didn't know what to say and, for once, neither did Piccolo. Instead he remained mute on the subject as he, like Vegeta before him, began to contemplate the possibilities if something went wrong.

This was certainly not good.

* * *

Goten hovered in the air in a meditative position as he waited for his friend to return. His only job right now was to conserve his energy for the flight trip back to the hospital.

Suddenly, the teenage demi-saiyan's eyes shot open as he detected Trunks' presence nearby. It didn't take long before he spotted his friend approaching. Without wasting any time he began to power up and anticipated for the handoff of the senzu.

"GOOOTTTEEENNNNN!" Trunks yelled as he slightly slowed his pace to prevent from crashing right into his friend.

By the time Trunks was within 100 meters of him, Goten had powered up to his fullest.

No words were said as the two met up, but rather a quick exchange of the senzu pouch was made and Goten took off.

Trunks' hair fell gently down to the sides of his head as it turned from a golden yellow back to its natural lavender. He was breathing heavily, struggling to catch his breath after such exertion of power. As he watched his friend disappear into the distance he managed to muster a simple prayer of hope.

"Good luck… Goten!"

* * *

"I should warn you before we go in there that Videl is still in a pretty bad state." Dr. Masako told Gohan and Mr. Satan as they put on the medical gowns, masks, gloves, etc, that were necessary for sanitation purposes. "Given the circumstances we have decided not to do a C-section because it might help the infection spread." Sighing, her tone became very serious as she eyed the both of them. "I need you both to understand that we don't know how this is going to affect her body. Further complications could arise from this. But if I say so, then I will need you both to give me and the other doctors some space and let us do our job."

Not knowing how else to respond the two men nodded in agreement. Of course the doctors were all they could rely on… at the moment. As they marched through several extra sets of doors Gohan looked towards the direction of Korin's Tower. He could sense his little brother heading in their direction. No doubt he and Trunks had left to get some senzu beans.

"Hurry Goten." He muttered before walking into his wife's hospital room.

It was like entering another world.

Lights were flashing on various monitors, medical instruments of all sorts were being brought to the half a dozen doctors in the room, and in the middle of it all was the hospital bed carrying the one, Videl Satan.

As several of the heath care workers moved to make room for the three newcomers Gohan and Mr. Satan got their first look at the battered woman in front of them. They both gasped. Neither one of them had ever seen her in this bad of shape.

"Videl!" Gohan shouted as he rushed to her side, taking her hand into his. Meanwhile Mr. Satan was quick to join his daughter on the other side of the bed.

"G-Gohan… To-Tousan." She muttered through deep breaths.

"We're here Videl, don't you worry." Her father reassured in a soothing voice.

Videl let out a weak smile quickly followed by a scream of pain.

"Another contraction." One of the doctors spoke. "She's fully dilated."

Putting a cold cloth on her head Dr. Masako notified Videl "OK, it's time to push. Push Videl!"

Using what little energy she had, she pushed. "UUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH." She screamed, arching forward. After a few seconds she fell back on her bed, thoroughly exhausted.

"That was good Videl, real good." Dr. Masako encouraged.

In the midst of taking deep breaths to regain her strength Videl turned to Gohan. She had tears in her eyes… but not because of the pain.

"Gohan… Gohan, I'm so… sorry. I shouldn't… have come here." Her words were struggling to get out as her ki kept diminishing.

"Don't be sorry Videl." Gohan cooed, still unaware of what she was exactly talking about. "Just focus on the baby. Just focus on getting through this."

For a moment their eyes were locked together as Videl let out another smile. She wasn't going to give up.

"Push." He whispered.

"UUURRRGGGHHHHHAAA" She screamed once again.

This process was repeated over a dozen times as, for several minutes, Mr. Satan watched her daughter struggle to deliver her second child. It was only near the end of her delivery that he began to notice what else was occurring in that room.

Looking over at his son-in-law he noticed something was different. Gohan had this incredibly intense look on his face, like he was concentrating. Upon further inspection he could just make out an aura that seemed to radiate from Gohan's body and settle into Videl's. It took him a minute but he eventually figured out what was happening. The demi-saiyan was sustaining Videl with his own ki.

He didn't really have much time to think about this fact because before he knew it a familiar cry filled the room.

"WHHAAAAAHH-WWHAHAAAAA"

It was the sound of Videl's newborn baby.

Upon hearing the first sounds of his son Gohan broke his concentration and looked up at the new child. While the medical team was quick to examine the infant and clean it, he turned back to his wife with a glow capable only of a new father.

"You did it!" He congratulated his wife with a huge smile across his face.

Videl smiled back as she rubbed her thumb across his hand. "_We_ did it." She whispered back, correcting him. She was fully aware of what her husband had been doing during the last few minutes and she knew she would not have made it through without his help.

While the two shared an engaging moment, the nurses finished cleaning up the baby with Mr. Satan right over their shoulders.

"All right Gohan-san," One of the nurses said as she finished wrapping up the newest edition to the family in a soft, baby blue blanket. "Are you ready to meet your son?"

Gently, Gohan got up from his chair and took a few steps toward the nurse. They exchanged the baby and for the first time since Pan's birth he remembered what it was like to first hold his child. No words could describe the intense and pure joy he had at that moment. After everything that had happened, after fearing he had lost his son, he now had him safe in his arms. The beautiful baby before him continued to cry and wail as he tested the power of his lungs (something that he would do for some time afterwards). A tear dropped down Gohan's cheek as he realized how thankful he was to be cradling the healthy baby.

Closing his eyes, he leaned down and kissed his new son on the forehead. While the baby continued to let out a high-pitched cry it became drowned out by other sound, this one steady.

When Gohan opened his eyes he found several of the doctors making their way past him.

To his right he saw a look of sheer horror on the face of Mr. Satan. Forcing himself to turn around he recognized the source of the noise.

It was the heart rate monitor…

Videl's heart… had stopped.


	24. Chapter 23: Dangerously Unstable

A/N: So major props to gue22 for pointing out that Buu has healing power and thus could have healed Videl easily. I totally forgot that he had that ability :P Haha sorry for the plot hole folks, but I'm allowed one right?… right?

Well, despite my slip-up I hope you all enjoy the story. Just a heads up though, #18 may seem OOC in this fic (specifically this chapter) but I make the assumption that she changes a bit during the course of DBZ, especially as she settles down.

**Chapter 23: Dangerously Unstable**

While Videl's hospital room quickly became more and more chaotic as doctors continued to rush in, Gohan just stood there, holding his baby boy in his arms.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Videl wasn't supposed to be in a car accident. Videl wasn't supposed to have the baby under these conditions… Videl wasn't supposed to die!

Around him were doctors shouting orders at other doctors, emergency signals going off, and Mr. Satan being driven to hysterics as he witnessed his daughter go lifeless right in front of him. Watching everything unfold before him, the demi-saiyan realized that his hearing had abandoned him, leaving the steady _'beeeeeeeeeeeep' _of Videl's heart monitor as the last sound that he heard.

His other senses began to diminish as well.

His body became completely numb, so much so that his sense of touch was completely immune to the nurse beside him tugging on his cloths in an effort to get him to leave the room so that the doctors could focus solely on Videl.

Lastly, his sight began to blur.

Every natural thing about him was no longer operating correctly… including his mental state!

This was all unreal. There was no way this was really happening.

Gohan was beginning to be overcome with his emotions. The demi-saiyan would soon be lost within himself over this great loss.

"This couldn't be happening." He thought as he ki began to rise. "This just wasn't fair."

* * *

In the hospital lobby everyone's heads shot up to the direction that Gohan was in.

"H-His ki." Tien said aloud, acknowledging what they all were sensing.

"Does that mean…?" Yamcha asked without finishing his question.

Vegeta and Piccolo clenched their teeth in a nervous reaction. It was just like at the birthday party… only this time, despite the fact that Gohan's ki was still low, they could tell it was much more unstable. Neither of them could predict how much more powerful it could become.

Deciding he had hesitated long enough, Piccolo bolted away from the lobby towards his former protégé's direction, on the other side of the hospital. He was quickly followed by Vegeta and the rest of the gang. With each step they took, their anxiety level increased exponentially – matching the rate at which Gohan's power was increasing.

The worst-case scenario that they had all feared, was unfolding before them.

* * *

Goten had the hospital in his sight when he felt his brother's ki.

"G-Gohan." He gasped. Something had happened. Was he too late?

Drawing from his reserves, he sped up to reach the hospital, gaining a few extra seconds. When he landed on the hospital balcony, on the floor Gohan was on, he began to sense what the others had sensed. His brother's power was incredibly unstable. The only satisfaction this brought was that the young demi-saiyan knew exactly where his brother was and he wasted no time rushing through the various hallways to him.

* * *

Gohan remained oblivious to his approaching friends. He had almost reached a point of total disconnection from the outside world. His power had taken hold of him and was beyond his, or anyone's, control.

Not being able to sense ki, the doctors in the room continued to work on Videl with minimal attention towards the other two men in the room. A few nurses had been trying to get them to move with no success. While Gohan remained insensible to the surrounding environment, Mr. Satan fought to stay in the room. He did not want to leave his 'little girl'.

Dr. Masako had brought out the defibrillation paddles.

"Clear!" She shouted before setting the paddles on Videl's chest and releasing the electrical current through her body.

A part of Gohan's subconscious become aware of what was happening as his wife's chest violently rose with the paddles and the dropped down.

"… Still flat lining." One of the other doctors responded.

"Charge again." Dr. Masako ordered as she rubbed the paddles vigorously together. "…Clear!"

Once again Videl's chest rose with the paddles. Gohan cringed. His power began to escalate even further. It was now reaching a very noticeable point as the electrical units within the room began to flash on and off.

"What's happening?" Dr. Masako shouted as they tried fervently to get the machines to work.

Gohan closed his eyes. The attempts made by his subconscious to remain in control were quickly failing. He felt his grip on reality slipping faster and faster.

He was enraged; more enraged than he had ever been. Everything within him was coming completely apart.

As his power continued to soar, he felt the last remnants of sanity slip from him.

"I can't… hold on…" He thought.

"I… can't…"

.

.

.

.

Gohan's eyes opened.

Something had happened…

He suddenly felt as if he had regained some control of himself. Then he realized that his senses had returned to him and there was one that was over-powering… the sense of touch.

Looking down, he saw his newborn son, clutching one of his fingers in his small hand. An act, so simple yet so meaningful for the demi-saiyan. It instantly brought him back to reality.

"What am I doing?" He asked himself, realizing just how dangerous his power was a few seconds ago. With the loss of Videl, he had become selfish about his own emotions and completely forgot about everyone else. Seeing her die in front of him made him feel like this was the end of everything, when in fact the little guy in his arms was proof otherwise. He had to think about his family and accept the fact that life continues to go on even if he lost a loved one.

As his power started to decrease and become stable again, Gohan started to cry. He had almost done something incredibly stupid. He was frustrated and distressed over the situation but he was also thankful – thankful that his son had brought him from the brink of insanity back to the real world. The infant had saved his father, from himself.

Another product of him regaining control of his power was that the electrical equipment in the hospital room began to power back on. No longer under stress from the energy emitted by the demi-saiyan, they were once again fully operational.

Seizing the moment, Dr. Masako charged up the paddles.

"Clear!" She yelled as she pressed the equipment against Videl's chest and released the electrical current into her body.

A second later everyone heard what they had been hoping for.

*beeeeeeeeeeeeeep…. beep… beep… beep… beep*

Videl was alive!

"Heartbeat is still irregular." One of the doctors noted. "We need to act fast to make sure she doesn't go into cardiac arrest again."

While the healthcare workers scrambled to hook up various IV fluids and blood transfusions to Videl, Gohan's head snapped up.

"Goten." He muttered as he felt his brother's presence nearby.

Wasting no time, he handed his son over to Mr. Satan with no exchange of words and stepped halfway out of the room. As soon as he did this he saw his brother scurry around the corner at the other end of the long hallway.

"GOTEN!" He hollered with his hand extended outwards.

"HAI!" Goten yelled back as he quickly took out a senzu and threw it down the hallway, right into his brother's hand.

Gohan then rushed back to Videl's side, making his way past the various doctors.

"Son Gohan!" Dr. Masako shrieked, wondering why he was interfering with their attempts to save his wife.

Ignoring her, he quickly placed the senzu in Videl's mouth, forcing her to swallow the magic bean. A few seconds later she gasped for air as her wounds began to miraculously disappear.

Everyone else watched in awe as the health of the woman before them was instantaneously restored.

"Her vitals seem to be stabilizing." One of the nurses commented, pointing to several of the machines.

Videl's eyes fluttered open and the first image she saw was Gohan standing over her.

With a smile, he gently whispered to her…

"Welcome back."

Videl returned the smile with her own before the fatigue she had endured, forced her to close her eyes and get some much-needed rest.

* * *

Several hours later Videl woke up once again, this time in a different and much quieter hospital room. The woman tried to collect her thoughts as the haze of sleep began to wear off.

"What had happened?" She asked herself, sitting up on her bed. Before she had time to answer herself a voice called to her.

"OKASAN!" Pan cheered as she ran into her mother's arms.

"Haha hey Pan-chan." Videl returned the greeting. Much to the discern of the over-protective Chi-Chi, Pan embraced her mother in a tight hug.

"Easy Pan." Chi-Chi said gently. "Your mom is still healing, we have to be gentle."

"Healing…" Videl thought as she began to recount why she was in there in the first place. She remembered being in a car accident… then hearing #18's voice… then a bunch of doctors around her… followed by…

The woman noticed how easy it was to hug her daughter. No longer was there a protruding bump from her abdomen.

…followed by… the baby!

"Is there room for two more?"

Videl looked back up at the doorway. Standing there was her husband, holding their newborn son.

"Gohan." She said, almost in a whisper.

Pan made room for her father as he made his way over to the bed. Sitting by her side he handed the infant over to her. "Would you like to meet your son?"

Taking the child into her arms for the first time, Videl was overcome with joy she had not felt since she first held Pan in her arms when she was a baby. She thought how lucky she was to have a healthy baby boy yawning and stretching in her arms.

"Wait…" She thought "_was_ he healthy?"

"Gohan." The woman gulped, fearing that her son might have sustained some type of damage from the accident. "Was he injured in the accident? Are there any complications?"

Before she could get herself into a hysteria of questions, her husband smirked and responded, "No. Quite the opposite. Actually he -"

"VIDEL!" Mr. Satan screamed, cutting off his son-in-law.

The World Champion ran to his daughter giving her a hug that was a bit suffocating, but careful enough so as not to hurt the baby in her arms. He was sobbing for joy that his daughter had made it through the ordeal.

Not used to seeing her father cry, Videl tried her best to comfort her father. "Tousan, it's OK. I'm fine, the baby's fine, everything's fine."

As Mr. Satan regained his composure the others began to crowd into the room to see the recuperated Videl. Bulma took, what seemed like, a million pictures of the event as everyone ogled over the newest addition to the Son-Satan family. In the midst of it all Pan became a little jealous, and vented a bit to Bra.

"Hmmph, I'm already over him." She exclaimed making Bra laugh at her friend's quick change in demeanor.

Soon evening began to fall on the crew and several of them decided to make their way home. By the time the sun was fully set, only Gohan's family (including Buu), Krillin's family, and Trunks remained.

At one point the only people in the room besides Videl and the baby were Mr. Satan and #18."

"Tousan." Videl said grabbing her father's attention. "Can I have a minute with #18?"

Without question, Mr. Satan nodded and joined the others in the hallway, closing the door on his way out.

Videl turned to the former android who was already sitting in a chair beside her bed.

"Thank you." She said with a smile, catching her friend off-guard.

"Huh?" #18 asked.

"Thank you… if you hadn't had been on that rooftop I – well… we," She motioned to the baby in her arms "might not have made it. You saved our lives."

#18 scooted her chair closer. "A lot of things happened today; a lot of bad things and a lot of good things. And I certainly don't deserve credit for all the good things. I was just in the right place at the right time… but… you're welcome."

There was a brief pause before #18 asked the inevitable. "So what are you going to tell Gohan as to why you were in East City?"

"Nani?" Now it was Videl's turn to be caught off-guard.

"When you were resting he told us that you were supposed to be at work in North City. He didn't understand why you were all the way over here. I don't think he's brought it up yet because of everything you've been through, but it's certainly something he is going to ask about sooner or later. Are you going to tell him about Goku?"

Videl's eyes widened. "How…?" She couldn't even get her question out.

"While Marron and I were walking to lunch I saw you two through one of the windows in the restaurant you were in. Marron didn't see you two, but I told Krillin and he… accidentally told Vegeta and Buu." There was guilt in #18's voice. She hadn't meant for so many people to know what she saw.

"Shimmata." Videl cursed as she tossed her head back. She hadn't even thought about what she was going to tell her husband. He was never supposed to know that she had been here, nobody was. And now four of her friends knew. What the heck was she going to do?

#18 tried her best to reassure her friend. "Videl, right now nobody else besides us four, and you, knows. We all understand how delicate the situation is. After all, we all saw how Gohan reacted to Goku the night of his birthday party… and how he reacted today." That last part was muttered under her breath, something that was not really meant to be heard, but it was.

"What do you mean today? What happened?"

#18 furrowed her brow. It was time that Videl knew what occurred after the accident. She began with what happened from her perspective, then described what Trunks had told her (during the time Videl was resting) about what he had observed with Gohan suddenly taking off. She recounted everything that had happened including the woman's short death, which Videl knew about, and Gohan's almost apocalyptic reaction, which Videl did not know about.

"Nobody knows how he managed to get control of himself but he did, before he did anything stupid. We haven't brought any of this up because this day has already been stressful enough for the both of you and we especially didn't want to remind him of how he reacted." #18 tried to keep her voice calm as she delivered this news (her friend had already been through so much). Despite this fact, Videl was now in tears.

"I-I'm sorry Videl." She apologized as she handed her a tissue. She felt incredibly guilty for unloading all of this onto a person who already went through so much in the past several hours. "I shouldn't have said anything. This has been too much for one day. I should have known not to-"

"No." Videl interrupted, wiping tears from her face. "I'm glad that you told me. It's best that I hear this now, from you, rather than be caught off-guard later with Gohan. The circumstances surrounding this suck but at least now I have enough foresight to prevent things from getting worse."

"Videl," #18 grabbed her friend's hand. "You don't have to do this alone. We can be here with you." At that moment Krillin opened the door.

"Hey #18, we should probably get going."

#18 turned back at her friend waiting for a response. She they stay, or should they go.

Videl smiled back at her. "Thanks #18, but this is one of those things that Gohan and I need to discuss alone."

"… I understand." The former android stood up. "However, if you change your mind you know where to find to us." As she walked towards the door she thought about mentioning what Vegeta had said about Goku (and how nobody seemed to know where he was), but she decided against it. There needed to be a limit on bad news for the day.

"We'll see you again soon." The pair said together as they left the hospital room.

* * *

Opening his eyes, escaping from his deep trance, Goku was surprised to find that night had fallen. He had not planned to spend that long meditating, but then again his meditation training in the afterlife would sometimes last for days.

Getting back on his feet, the Saiyan took a deep breath of the cool night air.

"Ahhh." He exhaled. "Peaceful silence."

After a few minutes of quiet solitude, Goku lifted himself up into the air, deciding to fly home and continue to enjoy the night, as opposed to teleporting.

"I guess I better be heading home. Hmm… I wonder what time it is? Ack, I hope I didn't miss dinner." He said to himself, rather naively.

As he headed back to his home he thought about his conversation with Videl earlier that day. He had no knowledge of what had transpired during his meditation and thus continued to have high hopes for the plan he and Videl had set out. He even daydreamed about a happy reunion with his son, hoping that day would come sooner than later.

.

.

.

The day of their reunion would come… and it would be one that neither of them would ever forget.


	25. Chapter 24: Beginning to Unravel

A/N: Once again I must apologize for the delay. Very soon after I finished chapter 23 I got a part-time job to help me pay for those pesky student loans. I've also been studying like mad for the GRE. But tonight I dedicated myself to finishing this chapter for you all.

We are beginning to wind down towards the dramatic conclusion. If I had to estimate I would say chapter 32 will be the last chapter. Of course that is only an estimate… and I tend to underestimate so it may be a little more than that. Enjoy!

**Chapter 24: Beginning to Unravel**

*Creeeeeeek*

The front door sounded as Goku made his way inside his home on Mount Paozu. He was greeted by nothing but darkness. All the lights were off which meant either that Chi-Chi and Goten were out or…

He glanced at the digital clock on a nearby desk.

1:27 am

… or they were already asleep.

"Shimmata." He swore underneath his breath. He couldn't believe how late it was. Had he really been mediating for that long… past dinner time!

His stomach let out a slight growl. Sighing, he gave into the fact that he would probably have to wait until the morning to get some food. For now, it was bedtime.

Struggling to place himself inside his spacious home (A/N: Remember, near the end of DBZ the Son family had moved into a much bigger house), Goku tried to feel his way around in the dark, with limited success. He had almost made it to the stairs when he stubbed his toe on the back of the couch.

"OUC-" He yelped before covering his mouth with his hand, while the other caressed his throbbing foot. With this awkward stance he soon lost his balance and fell against a nearby end-table causing a loud crash.

The Son household was suddenly illuminated with light.

Goten came racing down the stairs thinking it was an intruder. Of course he was also thinking what intruder targets a home so far from the city? And more importantly, does this guy, or guys, even know whose house they are breaking into?

Prepared for some heroic action Goten landed at the bottom of the stair in a fighting pose, only to find his father toppled over the end-table with a lampshade, that belonged to a now broken lamp, hanging off his head.

"Tousan?" He said a little surprised.

Chi-Chi, tying up her bathrobe, made her way downstairs behind her son.

"Goku!" She shouted.

It took the Saiyan a moment to regain his senses after his comical tumble. In the mean time, Goten helped him up while Chi-Chi angrily stared at him with her arms crossed.

"Son Goku where have you been?" She shouted, ignoring (for the time being) the destruction of the furniture around them.

After having been helped to his feet by his son, Goku shook his head in an effort to get rid of the daze he was in as he tried to answer Chi-Chi's question.

"Ughh… out…" Was all he could think of at the moment.

"Out?… Where? Where the heck were you this afternoon? Nobody had a clue where to find you?" Chi-Chi continued to scream.

"Find me?" Goku questioned, finally noticing his wife's tone was more upset than usual. His eyes narrowed, now knowing something was up. "Chi-Chi what's going on? Did something happen?"

Goten looked at his father with a bit of amazement. He really must not have felt Gohan's ki before. But how could something like that be ignored?

"Tousan, where exactly were you this afternoon?"

"This afternoon… I was in the woods meditating. I only recently came out of my state and, because it was such a deep mediation, I didn't realize how late it was."

Finally things started to make sense to the young demi-saiyan. "So that's why you didn't sense anything. You were completely blocked out from the world around you."

"Sense anything?" Goku was becoming more confused by the minute. "Could someone tell me what's going?"

Chi-Chi and Goten gave each other a glance; it was going to be a long night. Sighing, the latter decided to go into the kitchen. "I'll make us some tea."

* * *

The three family members sat down to discuss the unfortunate events of the day. While the opening line 'Videl was involved in an accident this afternoon' would be shocking to anyone, it hit Goku especially hard knowing that he had seen her just that morning. But of course that was only the beginning.

As Goten and Chi-Chi recounted that afternoon based on their own experiences, as well as what others had told them, Goku began to connect more of the dots. That 'thing' that he sensed, shortly after he left East City, wasn't his mind playing tricks on him… it was Videl's ki quickly diminishing as a result of the car crash. And as a consequence of him thinking it was just stress getting to him, he mediated, causing him to miss everything that happened thereafter.

He sat in his chair, stunned at the cruel irony of the situation. A million 'what if' questions began to run through his head, contemplating an alternative reality where he had just listened to his senses and not been so careless.

Chi-Chi picked up on her husband's unease and her tone became less aggressive. "Goku, we told you she and the baby are going to be fine. It's just that we didn't know where you were."

"And some of us were worried why you didn't come to the hospital after all of us were rushing there." Goten added, also picking up on his father's unease.

Of course none of this made the Saiyan feel any better. He felt guilty for ignoring his senses and for meeting Videl in the first place. If they hadn't met up at the café then she would never have been in that accident.

Goku caught himself in that train of thought. "And everyone was probably wondering what she was doing in East City in the first place… Shimmatta!"

As he silently swore it dawned on him that the whole purpose for the meeting was now in vain as everyone probably knew that they had met. Thus, the only product of this morning had been to make things worse; much worse.

Afraid to ask the question, Goku choked as he asked, "How did Gohan react when he heard about our meeting?"

"Who's meeting?" Chi-Chi asked.

"Videl and mine's meeting, in East City this mor-" It then dawned on him that they didn't know what he was talking about; Videl must not have told anyone. But he had gotten ahead of himself based on his presumptions. He had inadvertently told them that he had met Videl that morning, explaining why she was in East City.

"Kuso." Goku swore silently again as he realized his mistake.

"Nani!" Chi-Chi and Goten said together with great surprise. That was certainly something they were not expecting.

"You saw Videl this morning?" Chi-Chi asked.

"Well that explains why she was in East City when Gohan said that she had told him she had a work meeting in North City." Goten added, maintaining his role as the calm, observant one between himself and his mother. "But, tousan, why did you two meet up? And how come we didn't know about this?"

Sighing, Goku responded to the questioning. "Nobody was supposed to know, at least that's what Videl wanted."

For the next hour he discussed what he and Videl had talked about the previous morning. Everything from the way Gohan had been acting, to Videl's plan to try and get the two to reconcile, had been recounted. He even included that after he left East City he felt he needed to clear his mind and thus stopped to meditate. What he didn't mention was that, by now, he had realized one of the things bugging his senses was Videl's sudden loss of ki, although he didn't realize it at the time. And that is what made him decide to go into such a deep meditative trance.

As Goku ended his story his son and wife stared at him, completely dumbfounded. They were, of course, completely aware of the situation between Goku and Gohan, but now that this accident occurred, right after Goku had just met with Videl, the situation had a chance to escalate even further.

Chi-Chi held her head in her hands, too exhausted to yell at her husband to ask what he was thinking. Then again, she couldn't blame him for trying to mend his ties with his son. No, this was just a freak chance of some really bad luck.

"Wow…" Goten exclaimed, feeling rather speechless. "So… what now?"

Chi-Chi turned to her son and then back towards her husband. "I think it's best if we let Videl tell Gohan if and when she chooses. Otherwise I suggest we keep this between us. The less people involved in this the better." With that, Chi-Chi resigned herself to the comfort of her bed. She had no clue how this was all going to turn out but she knew that she no longer had any power in whatever the outcome would be. Being too physically and emotionally exhausted to carry on in conversation, sleep took the top priority.

This left Goku and Goten to say their goodnights as they headed to bed shortly thereafter. It had been a long night.

* * *

Chi-Chi woke up the next morning to a ringing phone.

"Moshi-Moshi." She greeted lethargically.

"Chi-Chi?" She heard the voice on the other end. "Chi-Chi, I'm sorry did I wake you?"

The woman's eyes popped open as she recognized the voice.

"Videl! No, that's alright. I'm up."

"I'm calling to see if you've heard anything from Goku?"

"Ugh…" Chi-Chi clutched the phone tighter. "Yes, he eventually came home late last night."

"Last night! Did he say where he was?" Videl was doing her best not to sound too interested in the Saiyan's whereabouts, but she was curious.

"He said that he had spend the afternoon in the woods in a deep meditative trance, which is why he didn't sense anything that was going on."

"So… you explained to him what happened?"

"Yes, and he's glad you're alright." Chi-Chi hesitated. "… But I also think he feels a bit guilty… about everything that happened." She was trying to tell Videl in an indirect way that she knew the two had met up. This lead to an uncomfortable pause before the younger woman spoke up.

"What do you mean?" She asked, staying cryptic herself. Another awkward pause fell over the two. One of them was going to have to breach the subject first.

After a long enough wait Videl gave in.

"He told where he was that morning… didn't he?"

"Yes, he told _us_ about your meeting." Chi-Chi responded in a way as if she was delivering some terrible news.

Leaning back in her hospital bed Videl closed her eyes and let out a soft frustrated moan. "So you and Goten know what happened."

By the simple tone of her daughter-in-law's voice Chi-Chi could detect that she hadn't told Gohan yet.

"Yes, we do. But Videl, we are the only ones who know. And we realize that this is something that between you, Goku, and Gohan which is why we aren't going to mention anything."

It was the first sign of neutrality and distance that Chi-Chi had shown since this entire ordeal started, and Videl didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Deciding to take the optimistic route she responded. "Thank you Chi-Chi. You're right, at this point it is something between us three. We shouldn't involve anyone else."

At that point a nurse came into her room to check up on her. "Listen Chi-Chi, I have to go. I'm sure I'll see you guys soon after I'm out of the hospital in a few days. They want to keep here for a bit to make sure I'm fine, but once I leave I should be back to my old self."

"Ok Videl. Take care."

"I will."

* * *

Capsule Corporation, the next day.

"Uggggggh, Trunks can we take a break." Goten groaned as he plopped his face down into his book. The demi-saiyans had been studying non-stop for the past 2 hours for an upcoming test in a class they shared.

As he finished up writing a sentence in his notebook, Trunks laughed at his younger friend.

"Didn't Gohan used to study for 4+ hours everyday? You are his brother aren't you?" He joked around.

Goten looked up at his friend with a slight glare. "You're right I'm his brother… not 'him'. When it comes to studying I have more of my dads genes in me than he does." It was well known that his brother and father were on complete opposite spectrums when it came to academics (among other things) and he fell right in the middle of that spectrum, which was frustrating at times because people either expected him to completely fail or excel beyond belief.

Trunks laughed again. "Fair enough." He then changed the subject. "Hey how about snack?"

Goten perked up. Now that was one thing all the Son men had in common; a love a food.

The two teenagers made their way to kitchen and began to fix themselves a snack (which would look more like a three course meal to most people). As the food was being prepared Trunks took this opportunity to ask about something that had been on his mind for some time.

"So, you never told me where your dad had been."

"Huh?" Goten asked, caught off guard as he was studying some of the family photos on the fridge.

"At school you mentioned that your dad came home late yesterday but the school bell interrupted us before you could tell me where he had been. I've been curious because he should have felt our power levels."

"Oh, yea… he was… ummm…" Goten had to think for a moment. His mother had expressed concern over telling anyone too much of what happened last night. "He was in the woods in a deep meditative trance."

"All afternoon?"

"Yea, I guess. He told us that he had only recently come out of his trance when he arrived home. He had completely blocked the whole world out which is why he didn't sense us." Goten tried to shrug it off as some weird coincidence, thinking that Trunks' curiosity had been satisfied.

… but it hadn't.

"How did he react when you told him what happened?" Trunks questioned further.

Once again Goten was caught off-guard. "Ugh – He was shocked, obviously, but once we told him everything was fine he felt better. I think he just felt guilty for not being there." He had to take a pause. Was he starting to tell too much?

"Guilty?" Trunks asked.

Goten remained silent. Had he really said 'guilty'? That was the sense he had gotten from his father last night when he and his mother were telling him about the days events. Of course he later found out that his father and sister-in-law had actually met in East City. But Trunks didn't know any of this, nor was he supposed to.

"Do you mean he felt guilty because he could have teleported her to Dende and she wouldn't have almost died (permanently)?"

Goten gave his friend a blank stare. With everything else going on he hadn't thought about that possibility. Perhaps his father felt guilty about, not just meeting her in East City but also, not being consciousness enough to sense that something was wrong and thus saving her.

"…Yea." He muttered. But the way he said it, it was more of an agreement than a confirmation, which made Trunks suspicious.

"Goten…" The lavender haired boy eyed his friend. The two had been friends their whole lives and Trunks knew when his younger counterpart was hiding something, or not being completely honest. "You know more… don't you?"

The younger demi-saiyan's eyes widened. "What? What do you mean? I… NO! I know noth- I mean… no." The pitch of his voice changed several times, giving away that he did indeed know more.

"Goten your hiding something." Trunks teased, as he circled his friend. "And from the looks of it, it's something big… Tell me."

Poor Son Goten knew that it would be futile to withhold this information from his friend now. Once Trunks wanted to know something, he was dead-set on finding out. A quality he got from his mother.

"OK." Goten exhaled, as if to release all the tension in his body. He looked his older friend square in the eyes. "But you can't tell anyone."

Trunks held up his hand. "Scouts honor!" In a promise never to break his friend's trust (something which he always abided by).

Goten began to divulge in everything that had occurred last night, all the while hoping that Trunks would not break his promise and keep quiet on the subject matter. His mother had been right 'the less people that know, the better'.

Unfortunately, his concerns were misdirected…

… because unbeknownst to both of them, somebody else was listening in.


	26. Chapter 25: Loose Lips

A/N: Well I finally got a job so I may not be able to update as much, but I will try. I will actually be in NYC for two months starting Feb 7ish so if anyone knows any good anime locations or overall things I should check out (like plays and such) let me know Enjoy, although this certainly isn't my best chapter

**Chapter 25: Loose Lips**

As Goten concluded his perspective on the previous nights events, Trunks could not help but focus on the irony of the situation.

"So… Videl set up this secret meeting with your dad, to discuss ways of reconciliation between him and Gohan. But now that this accident has happened, it's only a matter of time before Gohan finds out the truth. Thus everything they talked about that morning was all for nothing."

"No, if it was for nothing then that would be ok. This has provided to make this worse." Goten corrected his friend.

Leaning against the wall, Trunks folded his arms. "How do you think your brother will react?"

The younger demi-saiyan shook his head. He honestly was not sure… he wasn't really sure of much anymore. Like his mother he was beginning to detach himself from this tortuous family drama.

* * *

While the boys continued to talk, their eavesdropper decided to sneak off to another area of the house.

After navigating her way through the labyrinth of Capsule Corp, she finally found the person she was looking for.

"VEGETA!" She yelled scaring the wits out of the Saiyan who, a moment before, had been minding his own business and relaxing on the sofa.

After collecting himself, he turned to face his wife, who was already up in his face. "WHAT IS IT WOMAN!" He shouted back with agitation.

"I- I know… I know… I- I know." Her speech was stuttered and her body was shaking. Most people probably would have thought she was having a stroke but her husband wasn't that sympathetic.

"WHAT? What do you KNOW!" He kept shouting, while flailing his arms. He was still agitated that she had just burst into the room and now she was talking jibberish.

Bulma managed to calm down long enough to tell him. "I know what Videl was doing in East City!"

Vegeta was immediately taken aback. How did his wife know? At the hospital only him, Krillin, and Buu knew why Videl was there based on what #18 saw.

Not recognizing her husband's obvious change in disposition, Bulma carried on with what she had just witnessed.

Reciting the whole conversation almost verbatim, the blue haired woman divulged everything that she had heard. At the moment, however, she was unaware that her husband already knew most of the story and she was merely filling in unknown details.

"Vegeta!" She shouted after finishing her long speech. "Did you listen to anything I just said?"

"Huh?" Vegeta asked, snapping out of a daze that came over him while he began to take all this in.

"Goku and Videl had secretly met in East City yesterday afternoon. That's why she was in East City."

Vegeta turned his back to his wife. "And Trunks is the only one Goten has told?"

"…It sounds like it..." Bulma answered quietly. She felt as if he was missing the point. "But Vegeta, shouldn't you be focusing on the fact that they met right before Videl's accident and-"

"YES! YES! I was already aware of that woman!" The Saiyan Prince interrupted, feeling suffocated by his wife's insufferable comments on that particular detail.

Bulma stopped dead in her tracks.

"You… You knew?" She muttered. After that, it only took a second for her tone to quickly change to anger. "What do you mean you knew! How!"

"Quiet down woman, I'm right here." Knowing full well that he wasn't going to be able to just walk away from the situation Vegeta fessed up. "While we were in the hospital Krillin let it spill that #18 had seen the two of them in a restaurant while she was downtown shopping."

"Nani! #18 saw them? Did they see her? Did Gohan hear this!" She became frantic with her questioning causing Vegeta to lose his patience once again.

"Get a hold of yourself… Of course he didn't hear this! I don't think that hospital would still be standing if he did. And they didn't notice #18."

Bulma actually sighed out of relief.

Vegeta continued, "In fact, nobody had a clue as to why they were meeting until you just told me. Are you sure Goten hasn't told anyone else?"

"I don't think so. He seemed hesitant to even tell Trunks and made him swear not to tell anyone."

"Hmmph." The Saiyan scoffed. Apparently Trunks' trust isn't what Goten should have worried about, but rather who was around the corner. "That's some good news, the less people that know the better."

Crossing her arms and giving her husband a cold stare, Bulma eventually nodded. "I agree." She had to. Based on how everyone was acting and how Vegeta described Gohan's behavior yesterday, it now seemed to be the best solution. "It's probably best that the news come from Videl anyway if and when she chooses. After all it doesn't sound like Goku is interested in telling Gohan."

Making his way out of the room, Vegeta stopped to respond. "Even he's not that stupid." With nothing left to say on the topic he proceeded to step outside to get some fresh air.

While Bulma was left pondering what she could do to help, Vegeta couldn't stop thinking about what his Saiyan counterpart.

"Kakkarot, what have you gotten yourself into?"

* * *

That night, sleep evaded Bulma Briefs as she wrestled with her emotions, trying to figure out what she could do.

She hated the idea of doing absolutely nothing to help someone that she saw as family. She wished she could go into her lab and create something that would make a quick fix of all of this. Unfortunately this wasn't a type of problem that was going to be solved by some type of invention. No, this was far more complicated.

Morning time came and after much deliberation, Bulma had decided the best course of action would be to call Videl and let her know she had her support.

"Yes." Bulma told herself as she dialed the phone to reach her friend. "This is the best thing I can do at the moment." This reassurance, however, would do little in the next few minutes when she would be kicking herself for not thinking this through all the way.

After a few rings Videl answered the phone.

"Moshi Moshi."

"Moshi Moshi Videl, it's Bulma."

"Oh Bulma, good morning. How are you?"

"I'm fine, although I think I really should be asking you that question."

Videl let out a slight chuckle. "Oh everything is fine over here. They just want to keep me under observation and run some tests before releasing me. You know doctors. I actually think they are still in shock that I recovered so fast because of the senzu bean."

"I can see where that might spark their curiosity and disbelief." Bulma responded with her own chuckle.

"So what can I do for you Bulma?"

"Well… I was wondering if everything else was OK." She was hesitant to bring up the topic directly.

"What do you mean?" Videl asked, playing dumb to her friends questioning. She didn't yet know of what Bulma knew.

"I mean, how is everything else… like with Gohan?"

There was silence on the other end so Bulma continued. "Vegeta told me how he reacted during your accident and I thought you might need some support if you had talked to him about it."

"Oh, ummm, no it's OK. We haven't talked about anything like that yet, but I'm sure everything will be OK." But truth be told, it was something that still worried Videl… their inevitable talk of the days events.

"So he doesn't know why you were in East City yet?"

"Nani?" Videl's heart skipped a beat as she realized where this conversation was headed.

"I heard about your meeting with Goku."

"Nani?" Videl's tone had changed to complete deadpan.

"I overheard Goten telling Trunks about it yesterday. Apparently Goku had come in late the night before and when Chi-Chi and Goten told him about your accident he confessed that he had met with you in East City just prior."

"So Goku had told Goten who in turn had told Trunks." Videl thought to herself. "Great, soon the whole world would know of her 'secret' meeting."

The woman did her best to try to remain calm. This is not exactly what she wanted to hear because now she felt more pressured to tell Gohan sooner before someone else did.

"Videl… are you there?" Bulma asked, suddenly concerned about the lack of two-way communication between them.

"Y-Yea… I'm here Bulma." She was trying to hide her growing anxiety but failing.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you. It's just after Vegeta confirmed what I overheard from Goten I just wanted to call to tell you that you have our support and-" Perhaps it was the insomnia getting to her but Bulma had now just let it slip that Vegeta, not only knew about the meeting as well, but knew before Bulma did. Videl was quick to interrupt her friend.

"Wait! Vegeta knew!" Her voiced was now raised as she no longer attempted to hide her stress and anxiety. Apparently everyone else in the world really did know about her meeting with Goku.

Bulma cringed both at the increase in volume coming from the earpiece and realizing what she had just said.

"Hai." She responded softly. "Krillin had accidentally told him at the hospital."

At that moment Videl flopped back onto her bed.

"This is not happening! Please tell me this is not happening!" She said silently to herself over and over again.

Feeling guilt ridden that all she had accomplished in the past few minutes was just to make her friend feel worse, Bulma tried her best to comfort her.

"Videl, you should be the one to tell Gohan about the meeting if and when you choose. You have my word that neither Vegeta nor I will tell anyone else. My purpose for calling was to try to ease the stress by telling you that you have our support. I didn't mean to add to the stress."

Taking a long deep breath in and out, Videl finally collected herself in time to respond. "… That's OK Bulma… I appreciate your concern and I thank you for your support. I'm glad that you called me."

There was another brief pause as Videl decided she needed some time to think all of this over.

"I'm actually going to go. Lunch is soon and I want to rest a bit before I eat."

"OK… but be sure to call if you need anything." By now Bulma was incredibly disheartened that her attempt to make things better had totally backfired.

"I will. Thanks Bulma. I will talk to you later."

"Bye."

Videl hung up the phone, laid back on her bed, and closed her eyes.

Once again things seemed to have gotten worse.

And she began to feel as if time was running out in telling Gohan the truth.

* * *

"What truth?" Mr. Satan asked his son-in-law, puzzled by his behavior. It was evening time and the two were sitting on the balcony of their hotel suite, located near the hospital, when Gohan decided to bring up the topic of Videl. He mentioned he was growing concerned because she didn't seem to be talking to him as openly as she used to.

"The truth of why she was in East City." He answered. "Normally I wouldn't care so much but I checked with her work and they said that there never was a work meeting scheduled that day like Videl had said. She lied, and I'm pretty sure she knows that I know this, yet she hasn't said anything to me about it…. In fact, she hasn't really said all that much to me these past two days."

Reflecting on his time spent in the hospital with his daughter, Mr. Satan began to understand what the young man was talking about.

"I think I know what you mean." He stated, catching Gohan's attention. "Normally she's rather talkative, but since her accident she's been…" He was having trouble finding the right word so Gohan helped him out.

"Distant."

"Exactly." Mr. Satan exclaimed. "I thought maybe I was just over-reacting about the accident but now I know it's not just me."

Gohan stared down at his reflection in his drink that he held in his hands. "I just feel like something's wrong. There has to be a reason why she lied."

"Well #18, Krillin, and Yamcha were the first one's here. Did they happen to mention seeing or hearing anything?"

Gohan shook his head. At that moment Buu walked by his way to the kitchen.

"Hey Buu." The demi-saiyan called.

"Huh?" Buu turned towards him.

"Did you happen to hear anything from anyone as to why Videl was in East City?"

The pink monster was about to speak up when he remembered what #18 had told him _"Don't mention to anyone what we talked about"_. He had made a promise and Satan-san always told him the importance of keeping promises…. But then again Satan-san also told him the importance of never lying. Poor Buu became conflicted about what to do. After a few moments of silence he decided to uphold his promise, and lie to Gohan. "Ummm…. No… Buu didn't hear anything."

It was a weak delivery that Mr. Satan bought. Gohan, on the other hand, could tell Buu was lying.

"Well… I'm sure time will tell." Mr. Satan said as he excused himself to the kitchen along with Buu. Not being as concerned as his son-in-law he tried to shrug it off to alleviate some of the pressure they were both feeling at this point. However, Gohan would not be relieved that easily.

"He's lying." Gohan thought to himself in regards to Buu answering his question. "But why would he lie? Should I question him more?... No, no, he seemed uncomfortable as it was with that one question… But why?"

Gohan was becoming increasingly suspicious.

Something was amiss…

…and he knew what he had to do to find out.


	27. Chapter 26: Revelation of Things Past

A/N: Yeah… new chapter! ... My longest chapter!

**Chapter 26: Revelation of Things Past**

"You're good to go!" Dr. Masako announced with a cheerful smile.

Videl gave her doctor a surprised look. "Eh? I thought they said I would be in here for at least a week. It's only been a few days."

"Well…" Dr. Masako started as she began to look over her notepad once more. "All of your tests continue to come out normal. The baby's tests have read the same. Your wounds are all healed and we cannot detect any presence of dangerous bacteria in your body. Therefore, you're good to go." She ended with signing her name on the last page showing her approval that Videl Satan and her child were fit for release.

Videl let out an exhausted sigh. "That's a relief." She then looked down at the baby in her arms. "We're going home today."

The infant stretched and let out a series of cries as if it understood there would be no more of this hospital nonsense.

Dr. Masako began to turn off and undo the last of the equipment that was attached to her patient. "It will only take me a few minutes to process these forms. In the mean time you can get dressed and use the phone to contact someone to pick you up."

Videl nodded. "Arigato."

"I'll be back shortly." She then turned towards Videl's child. "Bye bye little one."f

After Dr. Masako left, Videl let out another sigh of relief. She laid back on her bed to take a few deep breaths before getting up to change.

"I am finally going home." She thought to herself. Even though it had only been a few days the entire ordeal had felt like months. All she wanted to do now was be in her own home with her family…

Videl's eyes opened up as reality began to hit her. Now that she was being released, she felt that the inevitable conversation between her and her husband was upon her…. It was almost here and she still had no clue what to say.

Turning towards the phone by her bed, the woman let out a slight groan. She felt that if she could somehow keep delaying the chance for Gohan to ask about that day then she could have more time to think about what she was going to say.

Picking up the receiver, she dialed the number to the hotel suite that her husband and her dad were staying in.

As the phone rung she prayed that her dad answered, to limit the amount of one-on-one time she had with Gohan.

"Moshi, Moshi." An all too familiar voice answered

Videl's prayers had been answered. "Tousan!" She exclaimed, perhaps a little too enthusiastically. "Good morning!"

"Oh Videl, good morning." Mr. Satan greeted back his daughter, which also caught the attention of a certain demi-saiyan who was sitting in a chair a few feet from him.

"Listen dad, I just got news from the doctor that they are releasing me early. She just went to process the forms so I should be out of here in the next 10 minutes."

"Oh that's great Videl!" Mr. Satan said, jumping up and down.

"What's great?" Gohan asked, obviously curious as to what was making his father-in-law so exuberant.

"Videl's being release right now!" Mr. Satan responded.

"Already!"

"So we will be there in a few minutes to pick you up." Mr. Satan switched back to talking with his daughter but was interrupted by his son-in-law.

"Let me talk to her." His voice was still rife with excitement.

"Oooh hey Videl, Gohan wants to talk with you."

Fearing any type of confrontation at the moment Videl quickly made up an excuse to end the chat. "Well, actually tousan I need to get dressed, the doctor will be back soon so I need to go."

"Oh, OK. Well, we will see you soon then… Bye."

"Bye."

Videl hung up the phone causing a dull, faint *beeeep…. beeeep…. beeeep* sound on the other end.

Gohan looked at the old man, rather confused.

"Gomen, she said she had to hurry up and get dressed. But hey we will see her in a few minutes… I'll get Pan and Buu and we can go pick her up."

As Mr. Satan hurried to gather the others, Gohan sat back down in his chair. He thought that his wife would want to talk with him but instead she quickly ended the conversation. The joy of his wife and child being able to finally come home was now overshadowed by her odd behavior. It served only to make him more suspicious.

* * *

While she was getting dressed a million possible scenarios had been going through Videl's head. She was not only wondering what to say to her husband but also thinking about how he would react. Certianly this was something that had to be discussed delicately, but then again, that was like saying 'delicately detonate this bomb'.

Struggling with the decision on how to tell him, and when, made her increasingly stressed. It was sound of her newborn letting out faint cries and giggles that made her stop her persistent worrying. Picking the infant up and holding him in her arms, she smiled.

"Why am I so paranoid?" She asked herself. "The important thing is that we are alive and healthy, right?"

The baby responded by grabbing her finger the same way he did his father's a few days ago.

She kissed her baby on the forehead. "Everything will be alright… everything will be alright."

* * *

Within a short time Gohan, Buu, and Mr. Satan were at the hospital helping Videl clear up her belongings from the room. Pan, being her chibi self, was too clung to her mother to really assist. She was well aware of how close her mother came to dieing and did not want to let go of her now that she was heading back into the world.

It didn't take long for the room to be cleared and for the family group to make their way down to the hospital lobby (a different one than the one Gohan and the rest had waited in a few days ago). During this process, not one word concerning the other day had been mentioned, but rather exchanges on relief and comfort were given. For now, the issue remained to be pushed aside and unspoken.

In the lobby Dr. Masako met with Videl one last time as she signed the remaining forms needed for the woman's release.

"Alright Mrs. Satan, here is a copy of all your health forms. And just as a precaution we ask that you don't participate in any strenuous activity for awhile and that you call us in the unlikely event you experience any pain or sickness."

"Arigato." Videl thanked her doctored as she accepted the forms and turned towards her family. "Everyone ready?"

"Yea!" Pan jumped in the air. The chibi was very excited, her mom was coming home with her new baby brother and they would all finally spend their first night together in their house as a family of four… plus one 'World Champion' grandfather and one fat pink monster. (She had such a unique family)

"I think this little guy is ready as well." Gohan added, motioning to the baby in his arms.

The baby let out a few cries in response. To everyone there it served as a confirmation.

* * *

The ride home was very relaxed in comparison to the previous days. There was almost complete focus on the baby with a small deviation every now and then from Pan telling her mother how glad she was that she was all right. While the discussion never went beyond that, it prevented Videl from being totally relaxed because it reminded her of the looming conversation she would have to have with her husband. Likewise, it made Gohan slightly uneasy because was growing more suspicious, and concerned, with what she was hiding. Despite all this tension, nothing remained said throughout the entire afternoon and evening. The focus continued to be on the baby of the family. It was a fact that everyone, from Pan to Mr. Satan, quickly fell in love with the new infant and simply could not get enough of him.

They were finally able to celebrate the birth of the newborn that evening in their own home. Their celebration led to a slightly more extravagant meal, and of course even more captivation over the baby. It was an evening where everyone was living in the moment, without care for the past, or the future.

The wholesome meal lasted late into the night as the family moved into the living room for dessert. By the end, Pan had already fallen asleep on the couch next to her father with Mr. Satan and Buu not far behind her.

"I guess it's time we put them to bed." Gohan mentioned to his wife, mostly talking about their children but in part, talking about the other two as well.

The woman let out a yawn showing her own fatigue. "Yes, I think you're right." She then turned towards her father. "What do you think Tousan?" She asked with a sly grin, knowing she was going to catch him off guard.

"Huh?... Ugh What?" Mr. Satan stuttered, half-asleep.

"Bed-time?" His daughter mentioned.

"Humm…. Well… It does seem a bit early, but it you say so." He speech was still slightly slurred as he continued to fight off sleep. The poor old man was trying to show off his 'vitality' and 'rich energy' but was failing miserably. This caused a slight chuckle from the husband and wife pair.

He proceeded to sluggishly pull himself up from the couch and, with the help of the equally tired Buu, balanced himself just enough to walk to one of the guest rooms. In fact it was quite a sight seeing the two, support each other as they made their way down the hall.

Gohan picked up his sleeping daughter and smiled at Videl. "Shall we?" He asked.

Videl, who held the sleeping newborn in her arms, slowly stood up and made her way upstairs with her husband right behind her. Their first stop was Pan's room in which they laid the chibi down on her bed, covering her up with a blanket. They each kissed her on the forehead, silently wishing her sweet dreams.

Next was the baby's room that had already been fully decorated with everything the baby could possibly need, including a custom made crib. The moonlight provided enough luminance for Gohan to see everything and to place his son in his crib without turning on any disrupting lights. Laying his son in the crib for the first time caused the demi-saiyan to be flooded with emotion that he had not felt since Pan was born. He felt as if he and Videl had accomplished something great and he had a tremendous sense of pride that came with fatherhood. Yet, at the same time, he felt as if this was only the start. The young baby's life was just beginning and it would be their job to take care of him, as well as Pan, and any other children they might have down the road.

He leaned down to give his son a kiss on the forehead, just as he gave Pan.

Yes, fatherhood was truly a unique sensation full of responsibilities that he not only took on but welcomed with open arms. However, while all of this went through his head the inevitable thought crept in.

"I wonder if he (Goku) ever felt any of this. I wonder if he was ever proud to have children. … I wonder if he even knew what it meant to actually _be_ a father."

Gohan then watched as his wife bent down and kissed their son's forehead as well. His focus changed to the events of the previous days. The accident, the lying,… everything. His demeanor changed with his focus.

"I have to know." He thought.

Videl stood up and leaned against her husband, while still watching their sleeping baby. It was a moment that she had wished could be frozen in time because, like Gohan, she was feeling the same sense of happiness only a new parent could feel.

After a moment of silent bliss, she managed to pull herself way from the scene and head to the master bedroom with Gohan right behind her.

She set the one-way baby monitor on the nightstand as the two of them prepared for bed by changing into their pajamas; a purple nightgown for Videl and blue flannel pants with a white tank top for Gohan.

The demi-saiyan had slipped his tank-top on, almost ready to hop into bed when he decided that he literally could not wait any longer. He looked at his wife who was setting her watch down on the dresser when he finally came out with the question that had been plaguing him for so long.

"Videl… we need to talk. I need to know why you lied to me… and why you were in East City?"

.

.

.

Videl's body froze.

.

.

.

The moment that she had spent the last few days thinking about and stressing over, was finally here.

She turned her head till she was face to face with her husband. There was a long, tense moment. The thought had crossed her mind to ask him what he was talking about but she quickly dismissed it because she knew that would delay the truth for only a minute, but increase the distance between them by miles. The woman knew what she had to do; she had to be honest with him.

"I suppose I do owe you an explanation." She sighed as she sat down on edge of the bed looking defeated, but really she was just exhausted.

Staring at the family photo of them on the wall in front of her, Videl avoided eye contact. "I went to meet with him."

"With who?" Gohan replied, having no idea who was being referenced. His wife turned towards him once again and spoke softly.

"Your father."

She was sorry. Not for her actions. No, quite the opposite, but she was sorry because she knew 'yourf father' was probably one of the last things he wanted to hear. And she was right.

The words struck at Gohan with such wow that there was another tense period of unbroken silence between them, during which Videl stood her ground. A surge of confidence had suddenly filled her and she was no longer afraid of this talk. She was not going to plead forgiveness because deep down, she felt that she had nothing to be sorry about (albeit for a small lie about her geographical location). Rather, she did what she thought was the right thing to do and she stood by it, despite the circumstances that occurred afterwards. Resolve was needed, and in order for that to happen the two were going to have to be more open with each other than they had ever been.

After the hard swallowing of those two words Gohan finally responded with a simple, "Why?"

"Because I know what he did to cause you so much pain." Videl continued to be soft spoken, knowing they were about to entrench on sensitive details of the past.

Gohan was completely taken aback. "Nani!" His response was short and his words showed a hint of aggression.

Videl began at the beginning, when she first suspected he was hiding something. She told him about her suspicions, along with her fear of bringing them up with him. With reference to the night of his birthday party and the following morning, she mentioned that the last thing she wanted to do was cause him more pain. That being said, she explained that her suspicions grew exponentially within that time frame. She even confessed to overhearing the conversation between him and her father the night they moved into their new place.

"After that, I knew you were hiding something from us; something from your past. I could feel the anguish turning inside you but I knew you would never admit it to me if I confronted you about it. You've always been the type to carry the burden and never share it with those around you. You won't let anyone help lighten the load you have on your shoulders because you don't want other people, especially your loved ones to go through any of the pain you are going through. I knew that in order to connect with what you were going through, I had to seek an alternative route."

The woman then explained her meeting with Bulma and Krillin, discussing the demi-saiyan's past. She was apologetic for 'going behind his back' but reiterated the fact that he had been shutting down from everyone and she had no other options.

"That's when they told me… That's when they told me about what happened after the Cell Games. The version I never heard from you, nor anyone else."

She described _exactly_ what they had talked about that afternoon, how Goku had nonchalantly said his goodbye's after his sacrifice with Cell, refusing to be wished back, and how Krillin brought up the notion that he believed Gohan might have blamed himself even though the former monk could never exactly pinpoint any specific behaviors by the child to validate his suspicions. Instead it turned into him believing he was just over thinking things because of his friend's death.

Gohan became anxious during this part of Videl's recount. A multitude of emotions were filling him and he did not know exactly how to act. The good news was that he wasn't so overly wrought with distress that his power escalated. On the contrary, it remained stable showing the demi-saiyan's great self-control during this time of emotional pressure.

Sensing what her husband was feeling (that is anxious but not overly much), Videl continued her story and how she had felt she needed to talk with Goku about the past, present, and future. Again, she became apologetic for lying to him about where she was going but she felt she had to keep it a secret in order to preserve the actual function for their meeting. Next she described exactly what they had talked about, along with Goku's reactions to what she had to say. Videl also described the plan she had set up to try to get the father and son to work things out. With the whole purpose of the meeting having been destroyed by the car accident, she felt as if was worthless to hold anything back. Honesty was the only tool she had left to work with.

Gohan had waited patiently until Videl had finished. Surprisingly he had managed to remain completely calm the whole duration. He was certainly shocked when hearing she had met up with his father but he still remained cool. Perhaps it was because he was just so glad that Videl was safe. Perhaps it was because he knew that her actions were altruistic and never meant any harm. Or perhaps it was because he could not judge since he had secrets of his own; life-long secrets his wife was catching on to.

"…Why do you want me to make amends with my father?" Gohan asked.

"Why are you so against making amends with your father?" Videl countered.

Gohan sighed and turned away from his wife causing her to stand up and slightly raise her voice.

"Listen, I cannot even begin to understand what you have been through."

"That's right. You can't." He bit back.

Ignoring the comment Videl continued. "I know you have a lot of pain associated with this time in your life but is it possible that at some point you have to let the past be the past? Goku may not be winning any father of the year awards"

Gohan scoffed and turned slightly away from her, causing her to glare at him.

"but that doesn't change the fact that he is your father. It would be different if he had no remorse over the situation but I can tell you he does; deeply." She took a few steps towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder. He didn't look at her but rather remained fixated on the wall in front of him.

"Gohan," She said softly. "Despite his vices I would like for Goku to be a part of this family. He may not be perfect but he deserves at least that. You should talk to him. Let him understand how you feel. I know you think he won't listen but he will. Your father loves you. Don't let one or two mistakes ruin your relationship."

"If only it was one or two mistakes." Gohan muttered under his breath. It was meant to be a thought but it escaped from his lips.

"What did you say?" Videl asked, taking a step back from her husband. His tone had not really changed but there was just something about the way he said those last few words that made her feel uneasy.

He turned back towards her, almost expressionless. He felt the truth of his past boiling up inside of him. For so long, he had tried to protect her from said truth but now… now it was all coming to the surface.

"Videl… if only you knew how much and for how long I suffered from his actions. Not just after the Cell Games but well before… and well after."

The two sat down on the bed and Gohan told her _everything_, starting from his early childhood. He left nothing back as he openly discussed the intense pain and suffering he had gone through as a result of his father's own doing. Having never have spoken to a soul about any of this to anyone, he felt as if the floodgates of his past had opened and in conjuncture he poured his heart out to his wife. Several times he became chocked up from retelling his memories and started to cry. Videl took it upon herself to wipe the tears from his face… and her own. Before tonight she could not have ever imagined his past was as horrible as he was describing, but she was hearing it now and the trembling body along with the shaky voice from her husband told her, this was real. She was relieved her husband was being honest with her, but by the end she questioned herself, now that she knew the truth. But it was too late. Ignorance **had been** bliss, but now she knew.

The veil had been lifted, and Videl saw Goku for who he truly was.


	28. Chapter 27: No Longer On Your Side

A/N: Another chapter that was written entirely during my down time at work. If I could take this moment, though, to ask all of you to reach out to the people of Japan. After the earthquake and tsunami on March 11th hundreds are already dead and thousands are still missing. Many more are left without the most basic resources many of use take for granted. If you want to help there are a variety of organizations that you can donate to. These include The Red Cross, Global Giving, Save The Children, and International Medical Corps (to name a few). You can also find organizations on facebook such as 'Dog Bless You' and they will donate $1 for every 'Like' for their homepage. If you're like me and have a Choice Rewards program you can also use your points to donate to the Red Cross. Thank you for your efforts, Japan, like Haiti, will need continuing support for the next couple months to help them recover from this tragedy.

Now that I've said that, I will provide you with a little bit of information on this chapter. Please don't take Gohan for a wuss. This is supposed to be a VERY emotional time for him so any emotion he shows is hopefully well understood and justifiable. And please note I am leaving some areas vague on purpose.

**Chapter 27: No Longer On Your Side**

Videl could still not believe what she had just heard. Her husband's rendition on the man called Goku was drastically different than anything she had heard from others or experienced herself. How could this be the same man she had lunch with only a few days ago? How could this the same man she lived next to for years after her marriage?

In the midst of trying to comprehend it all, one question stood out. "Why?" She asked sympathetically. "Why have you never told anyone all of this?"

Gohan sighed. It was a question he had asked himself many times.

"I never told anyone because I didn't want to shatter the image that they had of him. To everyone else he is a hero, a savior. They rely on that sense of hope he seems to carry around him."

"So you suffered in silence." Videl finished his thought, resulting in him just nodding in response.

"But nobody ever questioned his actions? Nobody ever stood up and said 'This is probably a bad idea.'?" She was frantically searching for answers. Surely her husband wasn't the only one who felt this way about certain decisions Goku had made. How could he be the only one who felt this way?

Unfortunately, her quest for reason turned up empty. "No," her husband muttered. "I mean sometimes his actions were questioned, such as when Bulma suggested that they ask Shenlon where Dr. Gero was so they could stop him before he even made the androids… but in the end it was always the same; he got his way, which had a tremendous impact on everyone. Whenever he was around, his decision ruled. Alternatives were rarely, if ever, sought. "

"But if his decisions had such an impact, surely some of the others have at least some of the same feelings as you." It was like insanity was ruling and Videl was trying desperately to make sense of the world around her.

Gohan slowly shook his head. "Like I said, nobody had ever really questioned him _and_ followed through with it. They all blindly trusted him, but then again they didn't experience the fallout that I did from his actions. He was my father. I relied on him to be there, to take care of me. Instead, he was gone half the time and when he was here, we were more often than not training for the next battle; a battle that could have been prevented. It's ironic actually, because I know everyone assumes that the main reason I trained was because of my Saiyan side. While that's partially true, the main reason I trained was so I could spend time with my father. When he wasn't here I still trained in the hopes that he would come back and say how proud he was of me."

At this point more tears made his way down his face. Videl wiped them away with the sleeve of her nightgown.

"And… the worst part about it, was that I was… completely… alone."

Gohan sobbed on his wife's shoulder.

"I was so young… that I didn't question him either. I just followed… and waited. Always wishing for the life I knew I was never going to have."

Choking through his words, the man gripped onto his wife for comfort. This was the raw emotion that he had been holding back for so long and now he desperately needed something to hold to; to anchor him.

As Videl consoled him she realized that this interaction was something her husband never got before. Living the life he did, he never had a chance to be completely open with someone, to share his deepest feelings with. She was seeing the real Gohan, raw and vulnerable.

Her own tears made their way down her cheeks as she sympathized with her husbands pain. While she could not even begin to imagine the depth of what he was feeling it pained her to simply see him suffering, and right now, he was suffering.

Nothing else was said between them that night as they eventually succumbed to sleep in each others arms.

* * *

The next morning the sun lightly flashed through the bedroom window as it fought against the heavily clouded sky. When the sun shined strongly through the window, it caught Gohan's attention to which he squinted his eyes in response before lazily opening them. He sat up in bed and looked down at his still sleeping wife.

Without a sound he got up and made his way into the master bathroom. There, he bent down at the facet and splashed his face with some much needed cold water. After rubbing vigorously to properly clean his face from the evidence of last night he used a nearby hand towel to wipe away the moisture. When he was done his reflection greeted him in the mirror.

He studied his face.

The man looking back at him was not the same person as yesterday. He had grown; not physically, of course, but emotionally. By finally sharing the secrets of his past with someone else he had grown to appreciate the comfort that could be felt by another person.

As he contemplated this new sense of self a figure moved behind him in the mirror. Turning around, he saw Videl a few feet away at the entrance to the bathroom.

For a minute, nothing was said as the two just looked back at one another.

Seeing his wife's baggy eyes and overall disheveled state, Gohan began to rethink his opening up. She had been right when she said last night that he carried the burden of the world on his shoulders to protect those around him.

Sensing what was going through his head, Videl took a few steps toward him and embraced him in a hug as she laid her head on his chest.

"I'm glad you told me everything… you know."

Gohan returned the hug as he rested his chin on the top of her head. Closing his eyes, he let out a mutter.

"…I know."

* * *

It was noon by the time Mr. Satan and Buu had gotten up and were getting ready to head back to their home in Satan City. During this time the former world champion recognized a difference in his daughter. She seemed more timid and distracted than she had been the previous day.

While Buu, Gohan, and Pan were occupied with helping load up the car with his and Buu's things, he pulled his daughter aside.

"Videl… is everything OK?"

"Huh? … Oh yea Tousan, everything's… fine." Videl replied apprehensively. But she wasn't fooling anyone.

"Videl." Mr. Satan said in a serious tone. He was demanding that she tell him what was clearly bothering him.

Having dealt with her father all her life, Videl knew there would be no avoiding his confrontation. "It's just… Gohan and I talked last night… about a lot of things."

She could see her father was expecting more of a response than that. Slightly irritated she continued. "He wanted to know what made me come to East City!" Her tone was a bit abrasive but Mr. Satan stood his ground.

"And?" He questioned. He had been curious as well about the circumstances of the other day.

Videl sighed heavily. "… I was meeting with Goku."

Mr. Satan's eyebrows shot up. "Nani?"

"I had met with him to try to reconnect him and Gohan. Last night I told Gohan everything that happened, but…" She trailed off, not wanting to think about the details of her husband's past.

"But…?" Mr. Satan pushed

"But… he also told me some things; things that I never knew about him or his family." She turned towards the doorway to face the outside where Gohan and Pan were helping Buu. Her hands were clasped around her elbows, a sign of discomfort.

"He's been hurting. For a long time, in fact. I had no idea until last night just what his past had been like for him, and what his relationship with his father had been like."

Mr. Satan didn't feel like pushing anymore. He just joined his daughter in watching the trio as they made a game of packing up the hovercar.

Only one of them knew what was behind that smile of the man playing and laughing with his daughter.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Son Household, Goku had postponed his training with Uub as he continued to lie in wait for news on Videl. Ever since the day of the accident he had felt guilty for not only meeting with her (thus putting her in the place of where her accident would occur) but he also felt guilty about not recognizing she was in danger when his senses told him something was wrong. He had wanted to visit her in the hospital but Chi-Chi had advised against it. If Videl had already told Gohan why she was in East City then he would be the last person that Gohan would want to see. It was best to lay low until she was out of the hospital. Then she could contact him on her terms.

Noon time rolled around and the Saiyan was in the kitchen eating his poorly made lunch. Normally he relied on Chi-Chi for his meals but today she had left in the late morning and wouldn't be returning until evening. Heck, even Goten was a better cook than him but his son was still at school. Thus Goku was left to his own devices.

While he sat there eating the product of said devices, his thoughts began to wander off. He was thinking about everything that he and Videl had talked about that afternoon, before her accident.

The troubles Gohan seemed to have been going through.

The young man's past.

Everything,… he was rethinking everything about that conversation.

His son hated him right now; that was no secret. But he wanted them make amends, forgive and forget. Hopefully Gohan could do that.

As his thoughts began to wander even more his focus shifted from his relationship with his son to his training with Uub. Goku was also feeling guilty that he had taken such a long leave from the young warrior he was training. He felt that he had an obligation to mentor the young man who he thought of as his successor. It was a hard position for him to be in right now, not wanting to leave but at the same time wanting to return to Uub's village.

The Saiyan had been so lost in thought that he didn't even realize the phone was ringing until the third ring.

Breaking from his lunch, Goku picked up the phone.

"Moshi, Moshi." He greeted.

There was silence on the other end.

He looked at the phone quizzically, as if he was curious if he was using it right.

"Moshi, Moshi." He said again.

"Goku?" Came a voice on the other end. It was soft and came from someone he was not expecting to hear from.

"Videl? Is that you?"

"Yes Goku, it's me." Her voice remained solemnly soft.

"Are you OK? Are you still in the hospital?"

"I'm fine Goku. I was discharged from the hospital yesterday."

"Videl, I'm sorry I wasn't there,… when your accident happened. I was the closest one by but I was in a deep meditative pose. I had no sense of the world around me. I should hav-"

Videl cut him off. "Goku, don't worry about it. I came out OK. Besides… we can't change what's in the past." Her tone had changed drastically from unconvincing to serious during that last sentence but Goku missed any reference she was hinting at. Instead he continued with to explain why he didn't visit during her hospital stay.

"When I heard about your accident I wanted to check up on you but Chi-Chi advised against it. She said Gohan was by your side constantly and she knew that I would probably be the last person he would want to see,… especially if you already told him why you were in East City."

"We never discussed it while I was in the hospital." Videl responded, and a wave a relief hit Goku as he hoped their plan would still be on.

"However, the night that I got back… he did ask me why I was in East City and why I lied to him about having to work."

Relief was replaced with anxiety in Goku as Videl continued.

"I couldn't lie to him anymore so I told him. I told him about our meeting, I told him about our conversation, and I told him about the plan we had made to get you two to work things out."

"How… How did he take it?" Goku gulped.

"He understood where I was coming from. He knew I did what I did because I cared about him, and because he hasn't been completely open with me, which is why I had to go to Bulma and Krillin before I met with you."

"So… what happens now? Would he be willing to talk this out?"

"I don't think so." Videl's anxiety was beginning to grow.

"What? Don't you think you could try and convince him to just sit down with me the way you did?"

"No, Goku." She replied, rather harshly catching him off guard. "Listen, we talked about a lot of things that night… and I realized that…" She sighed heavily. "…Goku I can't do this anymore."

"Huh?"

Videl didn't want to explain what she knew. She didn't want to get into it.

"I no longer feel that I can help you… I think its best… I think its best if we don't speak anymore." She was fighting back tears. It was incredibly hard for her to be telling this to someone she once looked up to. But as it was said before 'the veil had been lifted'.

"V-Videl you don't-" The frantic Goku was once again cut off.

"I'm sorry Goku. I can't do this anymore… _you _can't do this anymore."

"But I-"

"Goodbye Goku." Without wanting to hear anything more Videl immediately hung up the phone, bursting into tears and leaving a confused father-in-law on the other end.

"What... What just happened?" Goku asked himself.


	29. Chapter 28: Disconnection

A/N: A rather short chapter for you guys today. I will try to update with more soon.

I want to give my continuing support for the relief efforts in Japan. Anything you can do to help would be much appreciated. And if you are in a financial situation where you can't donate please spread the word about the organizations listed on the previous chapter. Arigato.

For the chapter, I am sorry it is short but I needed one last snippet before I transition into the final bits of this story. I hope you enjoy nonetheless.

**Chapter 28: Disconnection**

"Good morning Goten! You're here early" Trunks greeted as he sat in the desk next to his friend. Usually he was the first one to arrive to their first period class but today, that was not the case.

"Yea." The younger demi-saiyan replied without any emotion. He didn't even look up from his blank notebook that resided in front of him.

"Goten?" Trunks said as he waved a hand in front of the other's face.

"Huh?... What?" His concentration had been broken and he finally acknowledged his friends presence.

"Are you OK?"

Goten changed his position in his chair. Instead of being hunched over the desk he leaned back and stretched. "Yea… I guess." He replied followed by a sigh.

The lavender haired boy raised an eyebrow which was caught by Goten's peripheral vision. Sighing again, he sat back up in his chair and continued. "It's just, complicated right now… with my family."

"What happened?"

"To be honest I'm not sure I understand everything but…" He turned towards Trunks. "… you remember how I told you my dad had met Videl in East City right before her accident and they had planned to bring my dad and Gohan together to reconcile?"

Trunks nodded.

"Well my dad got a call yesterday from Videl. He said that she told him something about maybe being separate is for the best and that she can no longer help him reconnect with Gohan, which is odd because she was the one who planned the meeting last week."

"So what made her change her mind?"

Goten shrugged. "That's just it, I have no idea. Neither does my dad. I tell ya Trunks, my family is so confusing sometimes."

The older demi-saiyan let out a slight chuckle to try to ease the tension built up around his friend.

"Goten, every family is confusing."

His attempt failed as his friend gave him a quick side glance, telling him he did not feel in the mood for those types of jokes.

Trunks cleared his throat as he approached from a new direction. "So what is your dad going to do?"

Goten crossed his arms.

"To be honest, I don't know. He must want to take care of it later or wait for things to settle down because he told us he would be heading back to Uub's village tomorrow."

"Do you think that's wise to be heading back so soon after all of this?"

Goten let out another sigh as he continued with a sense of detachment. "That's not for me to determine. My dad is going to do what he wants to do. He's his own person."

"Hmmm." Trunks thought out loud. "But aren't you guys curious as to why Videl seemed to change her mind so quickly?"

"A little." Hehad to think about it for a second as he fiddled with his pencil. "Tousan mentioned that she told him that she had talked with Gohan about their meeting and such, which seems to be behind it,… but that's all between them, now."

Trunks' eyebrows shot up. Was his friend giving up hope of a once again united family?

Goten could sense the surprise in Trunks and explained. "As horrible as it sounds, I've learned that I cannot become too invested in this whole situation because it obviously deals with some unresolved tension that occurred from before I was even born. And I'm not going to take sides because I care about them both,... not that anyone has ever asked me to take sides."

As the two chatted more, Trunks gave his friend his undivided attention. He knew that it couldn't be easy for him, but then again his younger counterpart was right. 'What can you do?'

* * *

At the Kame house Gohan and Krillin sat the beach as they watched Pan and Marron snorkel several meters in front of them. The two families had just enjoyed a wholesome lunch were experiencing the fatigue that often comes after a big meal. There was a slight breeze in the afternoon air and the sea water tickled their feet as it flowed back and forth. Everyone was in a state of total relaxation.

"So Gohan, how is the new job going." Krillin asked.

"It's going very well, Krillin. The people that I work with are great and there's the added bonus of being close to work now." Gohan returned with a smile.

"So you like North City?"

Suddenly, Gohan became very enthusiastic. "Oh yea! It's a beautiful city and there is always something to do. Plus they have some really good schools there for Pan and she is already making new friends."

"You don't think it's too cold up there." Krillin asked as he thought of the bitter cold winters that must exist there. Just the thought of it sent a shiver down his spine. He was definitely more of a tropical person.

Gohan chuckled. "Nah, it's not too bad. Even with winter approaching I think we will all be alright. It's actually a lot milder than you think." He thought for a moment. "You and #18 should think about moving up there. I bet you guys would love.

Krillin shook his head vigorously. "No thank you. I will stick to the warm weather."

Gohan chuckled once again.

"…And how is the baby?" Krillin was testing the waters for a topic that he knows was sensitive.

Unaware of where Krillin was heading with his questions, a very big smile grew across Gohan's face. "He's doing just fine." He then looked back in the Kame house where Videl, #18, and Master Roshi were playing with the child. "He's doing just fine." He repeated, more so to himself.

The short man gave a worried look as he glanced back and forth between them and his younger friend. "So… there haven't been any complications, I mean after…" He trailed off feeling it taboo to mention the accident by name.

"Fortunately no." The demi-saiyan replied as he repositioned himself more upright in the sand. He was incredibly thankful that both Videl and his son were not harmed in any permanent manner. "I'm just so grateful that I still have them."

"So… ummm… did Videl ever talk to you… about… umm…" Krillin was struggling through his words. If the accident felt like a taboo subject then mentioning the reason why Videl was in East City was outright forbidden! But he had to know.

Gohan's face dropped to a more serious expression. "Hai, we talked about a lot of things that night we got home. A lot of things." He was thinking back to that night and became entangled in a daze.

"Like what?" Krillin asked, bringing Gohan back to where he was.

The demi-saiyan sighed. "I really don't want to go into it to be honest with you. I think too many people have been brought into this whole mess. All anyone needs to know now is that Videl and I talked everything out and we are fine, but I've made a decision not to talk with Goku anymore and she respects that decision. It's just too painful to dive into the past anymore. I want to focus on the future now. The future of Pan and my son." He let out a slight smile at the mention of his children.

There was an awkward silence between the two for a few seconds before Krillin tried to change the subject.

"So, do you think you will have more kids?"

The big grin returned to Gohan's face as he closed his eyes.

"Most definitely."

* * *

A few hours later, with the sun making it's beginning descent into the horizon, Gohan and his family were getting ready to leave the Kame house and head back to North City.

"Ready to go little guy?" Gohan said as he picked up his son from the crib.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay the night?" Krillin asked.

"No, I think it's best if headed home, besides we are having lunch with Tien and Chaotzu tomorrow." The demi-saiyan replied as he and Videl finished getting their things from the house, while Pan and Marron ran around them playing some version of 'tag'.

"Well, make sure you guys come back soon." #18 commented as she and her husband (along with a certain turtle hermit) stood on the steps on Kame house.

"We will!" Videl replied with a smile as she loaded the few belongings, that they had brought along with them, into the trunk of the hovercar.

Shutting the trunk signaled that it was time to go and Pan immediately halted her game with Marron, and ran back towards her family.

"Ready?" Videl asked.

"Hai." The Chibi responded and then turned to the group standing in front of the Kame house.

"Thank you for having us! Bye everyone." Pan waved as she hopped into the back seat.

"Bye and thanks again." Videl added as she moved around to the drivers side.

Before entering the car, Gohan faced the crew with his son in his arms. It was striking for Krillin and Master Roshi who were immediately brought back to the day Goku had first brought Gohan to the Kame House. It seemed very poetic to have seen both generations with their sons in the same pose on that same beach.

"Can you say bye?" Gohan asked the baby.

The baby yawned and stretched, one of the few ways he knew how to express himself.

Gohan laughed and turned back to Krillin and the others. "Thank you guys for having us over. We will be in touch."

He then joined his family in the car.

They all waved one last goodbye as the car rose into the air and took off with amazing speed.

As the next few moments went by only Krillin and #18 remained on the front steps as they watched the car disappear from sight. With Marron and Master Roshi preoccupied with the TV inside, #18 thought now would be as good a time as any.

"So… did you ask him?"

"Hai." Krillin's reply was simple.

"And?"

Krillin finally looked at his wife face to face. "He told me that they eventually did talk, the day that she came back from the hospital. Apparently they talked about a lot of things that night."

"What do you mean?" #18 arched her eyebrow inquisitively.

"To be honest I don't know. He was very candid about everything. The only thing he did disclose was that he and Videl talked and they are fine now. He realized that what she did was out of concern for him but after that night it was decided that Goku should not be in their lives."

"Eh? You mean after all of that nothing has changed?"

Krillin sighed and looked back towards the horizon. He was beginning to feel the same sense of disconnection everyone else way.

"Considering that Gohan told me he doesn't really want to bring anyone else into this, and that he already feels guilty for how involved everyone has become when he feels it's his problem, I don't think there is anything anyone of us can do about it."


	30. Chapter 29: That Time of the Year

A/N: So once again I must apologize for the delay. A lot has happened in the past few weeks, all good things but I have been unable to work on the story because of it. I finally set aside some time tonight to finish up the bits and pieces that I have managed to put together. Hopefully you all enjoy it. And hopefully nothing will deter me from waiting another 2 months to update. One last thing, a lot of people keep asking for the baby's name, I am leaving it vague right now for a reason, which will be explained later.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 29: That Time of the Year**

Three months had passed since Gohan had told his wife the truth about his childhood and his father. It had also been three months since Goku had resumed his training with Uub, and thus everything appeared to settle down. After all that had happened, things seemed to be getting back to normal, except of course the fact that Gohan remained estranged from his father. However, it was now at a point where nobody wanted to intervene anymore. There seemed to be an unspoken, unanimous decision to just let things play out between the father and son. It wasn't a lack of caring that caused the others to distance themselves from this situation, but rather it was because nobody wanted to be the cause of anymore upset. Everyone knew Videl's intentions were altruistic, and yet that ended terribly for the family. It was simply best to let Gohan and Goku make their own decisions. They were both adults after all, and could handle this 'problem' if and when they so chose. The family and friends of the two just wanted peace, and for three months they had it.

The funny thing about peace though… is that it does not always last.

* * *

Piccolo sighed as he approached the door. This wasn't really his thing but Gohan had asked for him to be there. Get-togethers, especially holiday get-togethers, just weren't something the relatively solitary Namekian was interested in. But alas he was here.

"Here we go." He muttered under his breath.

*_ding dong_*

"Piccolo! We're so glad you could make it." Videl said cheerfully as she opened the door to greet him.

"Come in, come in." She ushered, feeling the cold winter air nip at her even though she was wearing her sweater.

Inside the house of Son Gohan and Videl Satan, the atmosphere was distinctively different from the harsh winter brewing outside. For one thing, it was warmed by a freshly lit fireplace. But the other noticeable difference was the ambience of the house. The smell of cookies in the oven permeated the air and the entire place was happily decorated in holiday season. While it certainly wasn't for him, Piccolo could tell this was just the scene for Gohan, and he was happy for him.

"Piccolo-san." Gohan came out from adjacent room to greet his former teacher. "Come on in. Make yourself at home."

Piccolo followed the couple into the den where Pan was playing with her little brother.

"Hi Piccolo!" Pan waved, which surprised the Namekian because usually she would attack him with a hug, but ever since the newest addition came into the picture her focus has been fixated on her little brother.

The jovial atmosphere continued inside the den as he got caught up with Gohan and his family.

"How have things been?"

"Good, very good as a matter of fact." Gohan replied with a big grin. "The new job is going well, Pan is enjoying school, and we are all happy and healthy."

"And the kid is doing well?" Piccolo couldn't believe he was making small talk but he actually had a genuine interest in the well being of the child. He vividly remembered the x-rays of from Videl's accident. How could he forget? They showed that the child exemplified a tremendous amount of power and he hadn't even been born yet! A trait clearly inherited from his father.

"He's doing very well." Videl answered. "He eats a lot, which has been tiring a bit on me, but we've just finished weaning him so that will give me some rest."

Piccolo grimaced slightly. The human and saiyan reproductive system and what came after birth was something he just didn't like hearing about. Why couldn't all species be like Namekians; asexual beings that laid eggs?

Even without noticing Piccolo's disgust for the topic, Gohan changed the subject to something the he knew the Namekian could relate to better.

"Plus he's rather strong. If he has a toy that he doesn't want to let go of, he will not let go. Actually he's broken quite a few already because his grip is so strong."

Piccolo smiled. Seeing this kid grow up was going to be interesting.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.

"Pan-chan could you get that?" Gohan asked as he picked up his son to put him back in the play pen.

Jumping up from her seat, Pan answered the door.

"Tien, Chaotzu!"

"Hey Pan, how are ya?" Tien greeted as him and Chaotzu made their way in from the cold.

"Fine." The chibi replied happily, she then turned toward the family room. "Otousan, Tien and Chaotzu are here."

The demi-saiyan came from the other room to greet the new guests. "Tien, Chaotzu, glad to see you guys."

"Sorry we're late," Chaotzu apologized. "Tien got lost again."

This was met with a deathly glare from his friend. "I did not get lost… I just… got a little turned around."

"Isn't that what you said last time Tien?" Videl chided as she came out from the kitchen.

Tien blushed. He couldn't help it if all the houses around here looked the same.

Gohan laughed. "It's alright. Come in and relax."

While motioning everyone into the living room Gohan was pulled aside by Videl.

"Your cocoa is ready." She said in a whisper.

"Oh, Thanks, I almost."

As he walked past his wife toward the kitchen, Videl grabbed at her abdomen and let out a soft moan.

"Videl?" He stopped. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm just starting my menstrual cycle and it's been awhile since I've experienced… cramps." She was trying to keep the terminology as delicate as possible. However that is not what Gohan was concerned about. He stared at her with a look of worry.

"Don't give me that look Son Gohan." Videl said with a weak smile. "I'm fine, it's just cramps. You try being a woman." She ended with a lighthearted laugh.

Feeling a little relieved of worry Gohan joined in. "Well, you have me there. But why don't you take it easy now. Most of everything is already prepared."

"Ok, but we can't forget about the most important thing."

"What's that?"

"The cocoa!" Videl said as she pushed her husband back into the kitchen.

While pair went to get the drinks, the rest of the crew filled into family room.

"Piccolo, you came after all!" Tien said with some surprise. He didn't take the Namekian for these types of functions.

"Hmph." Piccolo grunted with a smirk. "I did, and I arrived on time as well."

"Hey!" Tien raised his voice, flustered at the snide remark made at his expense. He would have continued to get back at Piccolo but was interrupted by Gohan carrying a tray full of mugs filled with a warm, sweet smelling cocoa.

Videl tossed a few last second marshmallows in each one before Gohan turned to the group.

"Who's thirsty?" He asked, but was barely able to finish his question before all but one of the mugs on the tray vanished into the sea of hands that grasped at them.

The room was silent as everyone was gulping down the delicious fluid, well… almost everyone.

"Piccolo, are you sure you don't want to try one?" Gohan asked, holding out the last mug to his former teacher.

"You have to try some Piccolo." Chaotzu encouraged as he took another sip. "Gohan makes the best hot cocoa there is."

Piccolo glanced at both of them. "You know very well that Namekians don't eat or drink anything except water."

"Anything?" Pan asked rather shocked. She had heard this before but she had never really thought about it.

Piccolo shook his head.

The chibi walked towards him and looked up into his eyes. Her cocoa milk mustache gave a funny, but cute appearance, as she seemed she was about to say something very profound.

"… Not even candy?" She asked, completely serious.

The directness of the question caused everyone to burst out into a fit of laughter. Even Piccolo chuckled at the child's remark. Meanwhile Pan just looked down at her drink, in deep thought.

"No candy?" She muttered to herself trying to grasp the concept. Taking another sip from her cocoa she was thankful she wasn't a Namekian.

Everything settled down and focus went back to the baby who was once again on the ground, crawling and exploring.

All the questions about health and diet were asked, in which both Gohan and Videl answered affirming that the baby was indeed healthy and happy (despite the occurrences around his birth).

For a long time the group continued to chat, sharing old stories as well as some new ones. It wasn't until Videl glanced down at her watch that she realized she had almost forgotten something.

"Oh, Pan its time to take those cookies out of the oven."

"Hai." The chibi replied and headed into the kitchen followed by her mother.

"Cookies? Gohan, you guys are going to spoil us." Tien commented.

Chaotzu turned to Piccolo. "Still only water?"

Everyone started laughing again.

.

.

.

.

.

However, their laughter was quickly cut short.

Two loud noises resonated from the kitchen followed by Pan… screaming.

Without any hesitation, Gohan sprang to his feet towards his daughter, with the others close behind him.

"Pan, what's wr-" The demi-saiyan was cut off mid sentence by the sight before him.

Pan had braced herself in a corner, and on the kitchen floor laid his wife, unconscious with a pool of blood at her feet that trailed up her pants to just below her abdomen.

Gohan's senses deadened again; just like that time at the hospital. But he only let it happen for a split second. He had more control this time and he knew he had to take action right away.

"Videl!" He cried as he slid onto his knees by her side, shoving away the nearby baking sheet that she had dropped upon her collapse. His clothes became stained with her blood as several broken cookies, of a once cheerful holiday get-together, were scattered across the floor.

"Videl!" He yelled once more, trying to get a response from his wife as he held her in his arms. "Speak to me!"

"Pan, what happened?" Tien asked with urgency.

Before Pan could manage a reply through her sniffles, Videl came around to Gohan's desperate plea.

"Gohan…" She croaked. "Something… something's wrong."

"Videl, what happened?" He cried trying his best not to sound too panicked even though he was far beyond that. His hands were trembling and he was scared.

Videl grabbed her lower abdomen. "The car accident…" She muttered. "The baby…" Try as she might she wasn't making any sense.

Suddenly a wave a pain enveloped her body causing her to scream out in agony. During her cries more blood spewed from her pelvic region onto the kitchen floor.

Gohan knew he had to act fast.

"Chaotzu, get the senzu beans from the top drawer of the table near the stairs. Piccolo give me your cape… help me put pressure here to stop the bleeding." While the two went about their tasks, Gohan finally noticed the cries from his daughter at the sight of her mom bleeding profusely. The demi-saiyan turned to Tien. "Get her out of here!" He barked. It came off as very abrasive, a tone which Tien had never heard his younger friend take with anyone, but he realized the gravity of the situation and the fact that Gohan was trying to juggle several tasks at once.

As Tien lead the hysterical young girl into the other room, Chaotzu had managed to find the senzu pouch.

"Gohan." He shouted as he threw the pouch down the hall with lightning speed.

As soon as he caught it the demi-saiyan had one of the magical beans out and placed it into his wife's mouth.

"Come on, Videl… come on." He said, encouraging her to swallow the senzu.

With some help, Videl finally gulped it down and within a few seconds she had regained consciousness although her appearance still showed signs of extreme strain.

Observing that the excessive bleeding had stopped, Gohan looked down into his wife's eyes.

"Gohan." She said looking back up at him. "Something's wrong… It feels like I'm having contractions… I don't think I healed properly after the accident… Something's wrong." She repeated, trailing off at the end as once again she fell unconscious.

Gohan could feel her erratic heartbeat. The senzu didn't seem to have much of an effect other than stopping the bleeding. Something certainly was wrong. Without hesitation, he stretched out his hand towards the front door and released a shock wave, which blew the door completely off the hinges. As the cold wind whirled inside, Gohan quickly tightened his grip on Videl and flew out of the house with tremendous speed.

Thinking on his feet Piccolo pursued him but not before shouting to the others to watch after Pan and the baby.

* * *

While in the air Gohan did his best to keep Videl warm in the cold winter air using his ki.

"Don't worry Videl, it's not too far." He muttered as he eyed his destination in the horizon, despite the rampaging snow. "The hospital is just a few kilometers away."


	31. Chapter 30: Relapse

A/N: So if I had to estimate now I would say 10 more chapters to go. I think I am overestimating but I tend to underestimate so who knows. Enjoy.

Chapter 30: Relapse

Speeding through the dense snow, Gohan never broke eye contact with his destination. He couldn't afford to become disoriented by the white sheets of frozen precipitation in front of him. He had to make to the hospital as soon as possible.

The Namekian behind him felt the same way, but for very different reasons. While he was adequately concerned for Videl he also had concern for his former student. He didn't want Gohan to lose control and perhaps do something… rash.

Fortunately the demi-saiyan was in control of his senses… at least for the moment.

He continued to hurry full force to the hospital, using his ki to keep both of them warm. After mere moments he had reached his destination. He rapidly descended and through the hospital entrance.

"I've got an emergency!" Gohan shouted, which wasn't as necessary, considering the expressions of the nurses when he had first rushed through the doors. It was hard to miss the limp woman in his arms with blood stained clothes. They certainly knew this was an emergency and were quick to act.

One of the male nurses quickly pulled up a gurney and helped the distraught husband gently lay down Videl.

"What happened?" Another nurse came up to ask him.

Running a bloodied hand through his hair Gohan managed to explain to the best of his ability what had occurred.

"S-She was in the kitchen with my daughter… and just suddenly collapsed. My friends and I rushed in when we heard the commotion and she was lying on the floor unconscious w-with a pool of blood at her feet trailing from her abdomen. She managed to come to for a few seconds while we managed to stop the bleeding but she said that 'something was wrong', that it felt like she was having contractions and she 'didn't think she healed properly after the accident'."

"Accident?" The nurse inquired further while the other nurses had finished situating her on the gurney. They started to wheel her back when Gohan, ignoring the nurse he was just talking to made a move to follow her.

"Videl!" He cried. But his path was cut short by the same nurse he had ignored.

"Sir, you can't go back there."

"But-"

"Sir you have to trust the doctors right now, there is nothing you can do for her in there. The best way you can help her is by answering some medical questions I have."

Gohan knew she was right but it didn't stop his emotional side from telling him to follow Videl, to be by her side. Fortunately his intellectual side won out and he succumbed to the fact that the nurse was indeed right. The only way he could help Videl now was to give them the information they needed.

By this time Piccolo had finally arrived at the hospital. Seeing Gohan in a discussion with the nurse he removed himself to a corner of the room, not wanting to interrupt. He knew that Gohan knew he was there, if the demi-saiyan needed him he would know.

Gohan had indeed sensed Piccolo's presence but focused on telling the hospital staff what they needed to know. Another staff member had joined in, ready to enter information on the computer while the nurse scribbled down notes.

"Now, you mentioned an accident?"

"Yes." Gohan replied, finally catching his breath. "Three months ago she was in a car accident. She was just over 8 months pregnant and it triggered an early pregnancy for her. The baby was OK but she suffered the most damage."

He cringed. It was like reliving his worst nightmare.

A little surprised upon hearing that there was nothing wrong with the baby the nurse followed through with her next question.

"What Hospital was she admitted to?"

"East City Downtown Hospital."

"And your wife's name?"

"Videl Satan."

Only two letters had been typed into the computer before both of the nurses looked up at him.

"Did you just say Videl Satan?" They said in unison.

"Yes! Videl Satan!" He almost shouted. He saw any moment of delay in their actions as potentially fatal. But more so, it allowed his emotions to take hold of him once again.

While the hospital staff member at the computer began to switch to the telephone, the other nurse called back to a few of her co-workers.

Piccolo stepped up behind the demi-saiyan.

"Gohan." He said in a gentle voice as he put his hand on the younger mans shoulder, turning him slightly towards him.

"Pi-Piccolo…" Gohan muttered as his eyes filled with tears. His head was soon buried in the Namekian's chest as he sobbed furiously.

"Why is this happening?" He cried.

"I don't know Gohan." Piccolo responded as held him close, comforting him. It was something he knew he needed right now; the demi-saiyan had reached a breaking point.

Piccolo looked at the nurse. "Is there anything else you need?"

She shook her head. "No, we can access all her files from the computer. You two can have a seat if you want. We will keep you updated as things progress."

Considering this a good idea, given the demi-saiyan's emotional state, he led him to the seating area where Gohan was finally able to relax his body. As for his mind, the only thing Piccolo could do was continue to comfort the distressed husband.

* * *

20 minutes had passed but it had felt like hours for Gohan as he waited for news about Videl.

Finally he heard his name being shouted from across the room by a pair of doctors.

"Son Gohan."

Bolting upright, he darted towards the pair. "Yes, that's me. How is my wife? How you guys found out what's wrong?" He was frantic.

"We have identified the problem." The first doctor answered, side-stepping the first question.

"And?"

The two medical professionals glanced at each other briefly before the second doctor spoke up. "Your wife has a bacterial infection that has infected her fallopian tubes and has already spread to her ovaries and part of her uterus. Right now she is being prepped for surgery."

"Surgery!" Gohan screamed. "What for? If it's an infection shouldn't she be given antibiotics?"

"For normal infections we would, but this type of bacteria is rather rare. In fact we believe she contracted it when she had her accident, as that is the only time she would have been exposed to something like this."

Gohan stared in disbelief. "That was three months ago… and the doctors there said they cleaned up all her wounds as well as gave her antibiotics. She wasn't released until they ran test after test to confirm that she was alright."

"We understand," The doctor was trying to approach this as nicely as possible. "but this type of bacteria is very resistant to antibiotics. And it's likely that it didn't come up on any of the test results because it was probably lying dormant in her system, something none of our tests can read."

"But why now, after three months?"

"One other attribute of this bacteria strain is that certain hormones can trigger it to become active, that is leave its dormant stage and become pathogenic. One of those hormones is directly involved with starting the menstrual cycle. Can you tell us if your wife has been complaining about abnormally painful cramps recently."

Gohan rested his elbows in the desk as he buried his hands in his head. "Damn it!" He cursed under his breath.

"Mr. Son?"

The demi-sayian looked back up at the doctors. "She's been complaining the past few days about some pain but when I asked her if she thought she needed to go to the hospital she dismissed the idea saying that this was just a bit more painful than it is normally because of recently having the baby." He rested his head back in his hands. "I should have known better."

The first doctor put his hand on Gohan's shoulder, causing Gohan to look back up at him. "Mr. Son, please don't blame yourself. There is no way you would have known. Even if you had brought her to the hospital they wouldn't have known what was wrong with her either. Based on those symptoms alone she would have been given some extra strength aspirin and sent home."

Suddenly, both of the doctors pagers went off.

Reading the message the second doctor announced that it was time for them to go into the OR.

Nodding to his colleague, the first doctor turned back towards Gohan.

"Please know that now that we know what we are working with we can help your wife, but only with this surgery."

Gohan stood back up, feeling more agitated at the whole situation.

"What surgery? You still haven't told me what they are doing."

The doctors glanced at each other again. In the effort to collect all the necessary information that they needed from Gohan they had failed to inform him of what surgery Videl was about to go through.

"I apologize Mr. Son but this type of bacteria is very damaging to the tissue around it, which is why anything it comes in contact with has to be removed."

Gohan froze.

"…What… What are you saying?" He began to quiver.

The doctor sighed knowing this was not going to be easy.

"In order to save your wife's life,… and rid her system of this infection, we have to perform an emergency hysterectomy."

The shock hit Gohan with such force that he grasped the nearby desk to maintain balance. Sensing the distress in his younger friend, Piccolo was quick to be by his side (once again). But right now, no amount of comfort would be able to console him. Videl's life hung in the balance of these doctors, and yet even if she did survive, their dream of a big family was now shattered… They could no longer have children.

Knowing this was hard news to accept, the doctor tried his best to reassure Gohan. "I am sorry but this is the only way to help your wife. Plus we will be having the best surgeons with us during the operation."

Pausing, he looked back at his colleague who was getting more anxious on getting back to the OR.

"Rest assured, your wife is in good hands."

Those were the final words before the two of them left, leaving nothing but silence, and thus Gohan alone to his thoughts.

"Come on Gohan, let's sit down." Piccolo said as he helped his former student over to the seating area.

The demi-saiyan was still suffering from an extreme amount of shock. So much so that anything that Piccolo said or did, was simply not registering with him. On the outside he was like a rag doll, completely void of feeling with a vacant expression on his face. However, on the inside things were completely different. Everything the doctor had said was really starting to sink in and for the first time in his life he began to question his existence. He found it troubling that despite his immense strength and power, despite the decades of training he had endured, he remained powerless against some forces.

He was powerless against protecting Videl and his unborn child from their accident.

He was powerless against the disease that now ravaged his wife's body.

He was powerless in being able to save her life right now.

She might die… and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. If that happened she would be gone for good. It would be considered a natural death and she wouldn't be able to be wished back with the dragonballs. Although he stilled questioned it, 'What was natural about any of this?'

Of course there was the added strain that even if Videl did make it through surgery, and everything went as planned; the two would never again be able to have another child. This really disturbed Gohan. Even the best-case scenario was like something out of a nightmare. The couple had wanted more children but now… now that seemed like a distant dream.

He began to wonder how she would take the news when she came to; knowing this life-giving gift was literally ripped away from her.

* * *

The shock continued to debilitate Gohan to the point where Piccolo was starting to lightly slap his unresponsive friend in an effort to bring him back to reality. He was getting desperate in obtaining some reaction from Gohan. The only reason he halted his action was because he heard a familiar voice nearby.

"Piccolo!" The tiny, clown-like, man had yelled out.

"Eh?... Chaotzu!" The Namekian stood up to greet him.

"Tien suggested that I come here to see what's happened."

"It's not good." Piccolo said as he described the grim situation. It was surprising that so much had happened in the last half hour but there was nothing either of them could do about it now. The only thing they could do was try to think ahead, something for which Piccolo already had a plan.

"I need you to go back and tell everyone we're at East City General Hospital. I'll have someone call you when enough people have arrived."

"Enough people? But why not just come right after we contact everybody." Chaotzu questioned.

Piccolo shifted his body so that now Chaotzu had a clear view of Gohan. "He's in shock right now. This isn't something that Pan should see but if we get some of the others around we can hopefully snap him out of it."

Chaotzu looked from Gohan to Piccolo aghast. For a brief instant he was stunned as well, seeing the demi-saiyan slouched over his seat with an empty stare.

"Right…" He finally muttered. "I'll head back right now."

* * *

Not surprisingly it didn't take people long to arrive at the hospital. Within the hour of Chaotzu leaving, Mr. Satan, Buu, and Yamcha had arrived (being that they were the closest at the time Chaotzu and Tien contacted them).

Upon getting to the hospital Mr. Satan broke down in tears. Much like Gohan, he was reliving something that he never again wanted to experience. The only difference was that he did not slip into a state of complete shock. But then again, he did not carry Videl's body to the hospital nor did he carry the burden that Gohan felt as a husband.

As Krillin's family arrived, with Master Roshi, the energy of being surrounded by his friends slowly began to withdrawal Gohan from his daze. Soon he was able to respond to simple yes or no questions, where as earlier it would have been a feat just to make him flinch. Eventually he started to move about but he was still very distraught.

By the time Chi-Chi and Goten had arrived Gohan had been able to go to the washroom to wash Videl's blood off his hands. Watching as the dried blood mixed with the water and swirled down the drain did not help to alleviate any of the feelings of despair he was experiencing but it did serve to rid him of a constant (physical) reminder of why they were there. Continually seeing his hands covered in his wife's blood when he looked down was only doing more damage and now he had put a stop to that. His clothes as well were discarded and changed for a jacket his brother had come in with. There were no longer any physical traces of what had happened earlier that afternoon.

It was only after he finished washing up that it dawned on him that Goku was not present among the company of family and friends there to console one another. He questioned to himself whether this was something that made him happy or angry.

"If Goku really cared then he would be here wouldn't he?" He thought to himself as he exited the washroom. He was wondering if the man in question was off training, once again oblivious to the world around him.

"Then again…" He continued. "Perhaps it's best that he isn't here. He somehow always manages to make things worse and after all Videl would never be in this position if he had just stayed away from us. None of this would have ever happened if he had just let us-" His thoughts were becoming aggressive before it was interrupted by the sound of his daughter.

"Otousan!" She cried as she ran towards him and leapt into his arms.

"Pan-chan." He whispered gently as he hugged his daughter. It was like he was hugging her for the first time and all the ill thoughts towards the man who he once called his father, dissipated. The only thing he was thinking about at the current moment was Pan, and how he didn't want to let go of her.

* * *

Minutes turned into hours, which felt like days, as everyone waited for news on Videl. There was no doubt that operation was taking a long time because of the condition she was in. The doctors had informed Gohan that the bacteria had 'damaged that part of her body but now he was beginning to wonder just how bad it really was. The simple thought of it made him sick to his stomach. In fact the whole ordeal made him feel physically ill.

'How could all this happen?' He kept asking himself over and over.

But the answer never came to him, because sometimes there are no answers. Sometimes things just happen and he knew this… but he didn't want to accept it.

Family and friends continued to console each other as the time tortuously dragged on. A few, including Pan, found solace in the falling snow they observed through the oversized hospital windows. The chibi had always enjoyed the snow. It was relaxing.

As the blizzard dwindled into a light snowfall Pan would try to make a wish for every snowflake she saw. It was something that her mother had taught her. The rule was 'you can make as many wishes as you want but you must make it before the snowflake hits the ground'. The purpose was for the wish to be simple and from the heart, not complicated and too thought out, which might be for greedy reasons. Pan's wishes always came from the heart but this time they were all the same wish.

"Let momma be ok." She thought, over and over again as the small white specks gently made their way to the ground.

Gohan watched as his daughter stared out the window, overlooking the falling snow, which made the whole room dance with light shadows thanks to the setting sun. They had been there six hours and yet Pan's solidarity and strength remained strong. He gave a weak smile as he continued to observe his daughter against the fading sunset. It had been around noon when all of this started and very soon it would be night. They were all emotionally and physically exhausted but like his daughter he still held on to hope.

Like his daughter… he was making the same wish among the falling snowflakes.

"Gohan…" Chi-Chi spoke gently as she hesitantly stood up from her seat. Her eyes were fixated on something behind him.

Prying his gaze away from the beautiful scene before him, he turned around to the cold, dim hallway of the hospital. One of the doctors he had first spoken with was coming towards them. He was dressed in his scrubs and clearly exhausted but Gohan couldn't get a read on his expression.

"Mr. Son…" The doctor spoke in a monotone voice.

This was it… the moment of truth. Gohan already knew that after today there would be no more additions to his family but he prayed that none were taken away. As the last glimmer of natural light disappeared from the room, he held his breathe for news …

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Night had fallen.


	32. Chapter 31: Family Minus One

A/N: So within the next few chapters I may have some writers block on how to make a transition so don't hate me if I take awhile, or if the transition itself seems too rushed. I will try my best to do the story, and the characters, justice. For now, enjoy this fic.

PS: Anyone else go to Otakon this year?

**Chapter 31: Family Minus One**

_Life would certainly be different after today; there was no doubt about that. Although from Gohan's perspective, it now seemed like change was the only constant._

_He wondered when he was going to get a chance to take a breather. It was like he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs for life to give him a break… a time out._

'_Go, go bother somebody else and leave us be.'_

_Of course things don't exactly work that way. Circumstances happen and despite whether you like it or not…_

"We have an update on your wife."

… _you cannot change what has already been done._

"Yes?" He said with a gulp.

The doctor smiled. "She made it through just fine."

A huge sigh of relief went through the group. Videl was alive.

"The surgery was a success and we can confirm that all of the bacteria has been removed along with the damaged tissue."

"Arigato… Arigato. Arigato. Arigato" Mr. Satan thanked the man several times as a few more tears made their way down his face. His little girl was going to be all right.

"So, what now?" Chi-Chi asked.

The doctor sighed. "Now she has to recover, which may be a little while. She has gone through a lot today and it will take time for her body to recuperate. But despite that, she is expected to make a full recovery."

Nobody bothered to question how long the recovery period would be. Thanks to the magical beans that lay within Gohan's pocket, it wouldn't be too long.

Feeling that it was finally safe to ask questions, that he wouldn't jinx anything, Gohan spoke up.

"When can we see her?"

"She is being transported to a room as we speak. Keep in mind that she is still under sedation and most likely will not wake up till tomorrow morning. Once we get her situated you will be able to see her but only three at a time." The doctor looked at his watch. "I can call them now and see if they have an estimate on time, if you don't have any more pertinent questions at this time."

There was a pause.

"I think we are good." Mr. Satan said for the group.

On one level Gohan couldn't agree with that statement, but he knew he didn't have any more 'pertinent' questions for the doctor.

The wait time turned out to be an additional 45 minutes. An unbearable 45 minutes.

All Gohan wanted to do was be near his wife. He wanted to be by her side, take care of her, and protect her. His father-in-law felt the same way, so it was only natural that when the doctor told them that they could see Videl, Gohan (along with the baby), Mr. Satan, and Pan were the first one's in.

While escorting them to Videl's hospital room one of the nurses told the small crew what to expect when they saw her.

"I just want to remind you that she is still under anesthetic so she won't be lucid. She may also look a bit pale but that is normal after surgery. She is hooked up to a few monitors to watch her vital signs but that is something that is standard for all of our patients, no matter what they come in with, so there is no need to worry."

Pan squeezed her grandfather's hand. The image of her mother hooked up to a bunch of machine was not a pleasant one. Mr. Satan squeezed back.

"She's right though here." The nurse motioned as she opened the door to one of the rooms.

Gohan was the first to step inside.

The small hospital room was dimly lit but he could easily make out the form lying on the bed. He held his son closer to him. The sight of Videl was somewhat startling in comparison to what she looked like this morning. She wasn't just a 'bit pale', rather she was very white, like all of the life had been sucked out of her. Her head lay to one side and she had a grimaced look on her face almost as if she was in pain. The only comforting fact was that he could hear the _beep… beep… beep _of the heart monitor. It was comforting but eerie at the same time, that being the only noise.

As the rest shuffled in behind him, Mr. Satan was heard muttering his daughter's name. He was bravely fighting back the tears. It's a parent's worst nightmare to see their child in such a state.

"Okasan…" Pan whispered as she walked up to her mother's bed. She observed the medical equipment around her. It wasn't as scary as she imagined but there was something… cold about its appearance. Focusing her attention back to her mother, the chibi leaned gently against the bed as Gohan made his way to a seat close behind her and Mr. Satan went around the other side.

The family was silent for many moments just watching Videl as her chest moved up and down with her breathing, the monitor beeping in sync.

"When will she wake up?" Pan asked.

"Probably not till tomorrow morning Pan-chan." Her father answered.

Mr. Satan leaned down to kiss his daughter on the forehead. "Rest well, Videl."

A few more silent moments passed before Mr. Satan spoke again.

"We should probably go back so the others can see her."

But Gohan didn't want to leave her side. "Here," he said handing over the baby to his father-in-law. "Take them back to the lobby. I'm going to stay here with her." He scooted his chair closer to the bed and held his wife's hand in his.

Mr. Satan knew better than to argue. He would have stayed as well but he knew Gohan needed some alone time with Videl. He could see it in his eyes. In his understanding Mr. Satan nodded and strolled off with his two grandchildren.

Because they did not want to overwhelm the family not everyone went in to see Videl during the visitation time, which was quickly coming to a close as the night drew on. Some decided to stay back and were satisfied with a simple report of how she was doing. Immediate and extended family of Gohan and Videl were able to make it in and comfort the former.

As visitation hours neared the end Gohan sat with Goten and Pan (who was saying goodbye to her mother for the night).

"Goten," Gohan said as he turned towards his brother. He had bags under his eyes and it looked like most of the life had been sucked out of him from the ordeal of the day. "I need to ask you a favor, I need you and Kasan to take the kids home and watch over them tonight."

Depite some initial surprise at the request Goten immediately agreed.

"Sure, but where will you be?"

"I'm gonna stay here, with her."

"Will they let you? Stay here that is. Don't visiting hours end soon?" Goten was becoming more confused.

"I don't care, I don't want to leave her side until she at least wakes up." As he said this he clutched his wife's limp hand.

Goten was about to interject but their conversation was interrupted by a slight cough from just outside the doorway.

"Satan-san." Goten announced, a bit startled.

The world champion looked from Gohan to him.

"Could you give us a moment?"

More looks were exchanged before Goten nodded and called to his niece.

"Come on Pan." He said with an extended hand

"Goodbye Okasan." Pan whispered before she grabbed her uncle's hand. As they walked passed Mr. Satan, Goten gave one last glance between the two men.

With just the two left in the room, Mr. Satan took Goten's seat situated next to Gohan.

For a minute nothing was said; the two just looked at Videl. It wasn't easy seeing her in this state but they had at least one thing to be thankful for… she was alive.

"Son," Mr. Satan finally started as he placed a hand on Gohan's shoulder. "Go home."

It wasn't so much an order as it was a sympathy filled request.

Gohan looked back at his wife. "I can't. I'm not going to leave her alone."

"Oh she won't be alone."

"Huh?" His lack of energy had caused him to not catch on as quickly as usual.

"I'll stay with her." His son-in-law was about to oppose when he continued. "You go home and take care of your kids. They need you right now, trust me."

The two stared at each other for another long silent moment. It was as if they were arguing on the topic without speaking.

Eventually Gohan gave in to his father-in-law's demands.

"You will call me immediately if anything happens?"

"Of course." Mr. Satan answered.

Gohan got up from his chair and kissed his unconscious wife lightly on the forehead.

"I'll be back first thing tomorrow morning. I promise." He muttered.

He turned towards Mr. Satan and quickly embraced him in a tender hug.

The older man returned the hug and smiled. "Go get some sleep son."

"Hai." Gohan responded wearily.

It was at that time when one of the nurses knocked on the door and entered the hospital room.

"I'm sorry gentlemen but visiting hours are now over."

Gohan took another look at Videl, contemplating once again if he should stay. Sensing this hesitation, Mr. Satan gave Gohan a nudge. "She'll be fine. You go."

The demi-saiyan nodded as he walked passed nurse, taking one last look at Videl before he exited the hospital room. The rest would be in fate's hands.

"Young man," Mr. Satan raised his voice startling the young nurse.

"Y-yes sir."

"I will be staying with my daughter tonight. I request a blanket and a pillow."

"But sir, visiting hours are-"

Mr. Satan glared at him. "Do you know who I am?"

"Of course Satan-san. But-"

"Now then I hope you would have more respect and hurry up on the things I have asked for." He interrupted again. It was hard for him not to grin during times like these. Being the world champion had its privileges.

Truth be told he was all bark and no bite, but there was no way for others to know that. And nobody would want to take their chance and question it. He was 'the strongest man in the world' after all.

"Right away Satan-san." The nurse quickly bowed out. Further questioning would only push his luck.

* * *

Gohan lazily made his way down the hospital corridors. Mr. Satan was right; it was best that he go home with his children. They needed him and he needed them. He would see Videl early tomorrow morning but right now he needed to regain his strength and recoup from the day.

By the time he was close to the lobby Gohan felt like he was dragging his feet he was so tired. As he approached the corner two voices stopped him in his tracks.

"So nobody in the village knows where they are?"

"No, apparently they went into the canyons around that area for some training and were going to be gone for a few days."

It was his mother and Bulma. They were separated from the rest of the group and were almost whispering between them. Gohan was quick to catch on why.

"But I thought they were going to stay close to the village so you could be in easy contact with him."

Chi-Chi's eyebrows twitched. "They were supposed to."

Gohan could sense the irritation in his mother's tone. She was very upset right now.

Chi-Chi continued. "We made an agreement that he could continue on with his training for the next few months as long as I was always able to reach him and that he would be home for the evenings. For most of the time he has fulfilled that promise but there has been a few occasions when I've had to call down there and it's taken over an hour to find him! Of course he always says he forgot to stay close or that he and Uub got carried away with their training that day."

Gohan scowled. 'So Goku was still training despite everything that has happened?'

"The other day he mentioned that he would be staying down there for a few days, which I agreed to, but he never mentioned anything about traveling outside the village. Apparently they've done this before when he has stayed down there for few nights but I just never called during those times."

Bulma thought for a second before she offered her theory on the circumstances. "Perhaps he just assumed that you knew that 'staying down there for a few days' would mean you wouldn't be able to get in contact with him." It was kind of twisted logic but it fit with Goku's personality.

"I'm just so upset right now. He made a promise!"

Gohan could tell his mother was on the verge of tears; once again because of Goku.

"I know Chi-Chi, I know." Bulma said in a soothing voice. She didn't really know how else to comfort her friend. It was all very problematic. If Goku had been reached then there was still nothing he could do. Given the history between him and Gohan it would be suggested that he not come to the hospital. But still, Chi-Chi at least wanted to be able to confide in her husband what was going on.

The two wrapped up their conversation quickly before joining the rest of the group.

So as not to draw and suspicion Gohan kept back for a few more moments before rounding the corner to greet everyone.

"Alright Pan-chan, ready to go home?" He asked trying his best to sound hopeful for the future and ignorant of the conversation he had just overheard.

Pan rubbed her eyes and nodded drearily.

"Eh, I thought you were staying here." Goten commented, rather surprised to see his brother away from Videl.

"Satan-san said that he would stay with her tonight. He told me to go home with the kids and get some rest."

"Ah orders from Satan-san himself." Krillin chuckled trying to lighten the mood.

Gohan lightly laughed back. "Haha,… yup."

"We'll still come with you." Chi-Chi proclaimed, standing up with Gohan's youngest child in her arms. Goten picked up Pan who was fighting her losing battle with sleep. "We'll help you put them to sleep and crash at your place for night."

With eye's half opened Gohan smiled. "Arigato." He then turned towards the rest of the crew. "Thank you guys for coming out. When I come in tomorrow I will call you with an update."

"What do you mean? We will be here too." Bulma quickly shot back.

"Huh?" Gohan questioned, once again not catching on as quickly in his exhausted state.

"We've booked a nearby hotel for the night. You didn't think we'd just leave you here alone did you?" Tien added.

"But-" Gohan tried to interject, feeling bad for inconveniencing them.

"It's already settled." Bulma put her foot down. "This is what we are here for to help in times of need."

It was a weird feeling for Gohan. The juxtaposition of having a group of loving friends and family was contrasting with the absent father he had just heard more news about. But right now he wanted to focus on the positive. He smiled again.

"Arigato."


	33. Chapter 32: Facing Reality

A/N: I want to apologize for making these past few chapters (including this one) so soap opera like. I didn't originally plan for it to turn out this way but alas it did. Keep in mind, however, there will definitely be some more DBZ-esque type scenes in the near future as the story begins its closing act. I also want to take this time to explain some of the emotions in the chapter. Being a male I can't really imagine what it would be like for a woman to be in Videl's situation where you have an emergency hysterectomy. I assume that it would be fairly traumatic and this is why I am writing the reactions of certain people the way I am. Some of my influence for this actually comes from one of the beginning scenes of the movie _Kill Bill_, where 'The Bride' wakes up from a coma after being beaten to near death. When she awakens she feels her stomach is flat rather than protruding like it was before (since she was pregnant). She lets out a horrible scream that is heart wrenching and shows true emotion of having lost something. In this fic Videl may have not lost a baby but she has lost the ability to have more. Just something to keep in mind when reading. Also this is my longest chapter and has gone through many revisions so I do hope you enjoy.

**Chapter 32: Facing Reality**

Sleep came as an act of mercy on Gohan for whom the day had been rough. However, in spite of its hardships he could say one thing about today that made him happy; Videl was alive. There were still many obstacles that they would have to face together, such as the fact that they could no longer have children, but the single most important aspect was that she had made it through. He was also thankful of the family and friends who had rushed to their side during this ordeal.

Only after the demi-saiyan got home did he realize how much of a blessing his mother and brother had been. The sheer fatigue he experienced as he climbed the stairs in his house made him think that there was no way he could have gotten to his bed without assistance, let alone put two kids to bed.

It didn't surprise Goten in the least that as soon as his brother's head hit the pillow, he was sound asleep.

"Sleep well ni-chan." He whispered, feeling sympathetic for his older brother. Today had indeed been a rough one.

* * *

The nights rest certainly had a positive effect on the family. As Gohan woke up at the break of dawn he felt his energy, both physically and mentally, recharged.

After getting out of bed he quickly changed into a new pair of clothes and rushed down the stairs. He was intent on getting back to the hospital as soon as possible. However, before he reached the door he was halted by a voice.

"Wouldn't you like some coffee first?"

He spun around to see his mother at the entrance to the kitchen, holding out a fresh cup of coffee for him while she enjoyed her own.

"We haven't received any calls, which is a good thing, but it also means Videl isn't up yet. You have time to sit down for a second to have a drink and something to eat." As she said this, Chi-Chi handed Gohan his cup of coffee and retreated back into the kitchen.

The demi-saiyan thought for a second. His mother did have a point. He had not eaten since yesterday and was feeling quite famished. Perhaps it would be best if he sat down to get something to eat before rushing to the hospital.

Following his mother he couldn't help but draw his gaze to the spot where Videl had collapsed less than 24 hours previously. The area where she had bled profusely was now spotless… like nothing tragic had ever happened there.

Chi-Chi noticed her son's gaze but chose not to draw attention to it. Instead she handed him a plate stacked high with what seemed to be a hearty breakfast.

"She's not going anywhere, and I'm sure that when she wakes up she would rather see you well nourished."

Gohan gave a weak smile. "I guess your right."

After sitting down, the two ate in complete silence. Nobody wanted to jinx anything so nothing was discussed. Plus Gohan was too busy shoveling down his food.

Once he was finished he lifted up his plate but Chi-Chi stood up and told him that she would take care of it.

"You go." She said softly.

Gohan walked up to her and glanced quickly at the spot in the kitchen that he assumed she had cleaned up. He looked deep into her eyes, ever more thankful for having her here during this time.

He embraced her in a hug.

"Arigato Kasan."

After that he was quickly out the door, in flight, to be by his wife's side for the time she woke up.

* * *

At the hospital Mr. Satan was snoring lightly in his chair by his daughter. Like the others, sleep was quick to take him last night because of all the stress he experienced throughout the day.

Now, as the sun beamed through the windows, he started to lazily awaken. The world champion squinted his eyes as they met the bright light.

Yawning, he got up to close the blinds.

Afterwards he sighed as he turned around to see that his daughter had not yet woken up from her sleep.

"Videl…" He murmured as he rested his hand on her head. At least she looked better in comparison to yesterday, he thought.

The old man sat back down and was about to fall asleep again when the door to the room swung open, startling Mr. Satan to the extent that he fell out of his chair.

"Videl!" Gohan shouted upon entering the room, half expecting her to be awake by now, given the time he had spent on breakfast. Needless to say he was a little disappointed to see that she was still in her comatose state.

"G-Gohan." Mr. Satan said in a shaky voice, the adrenaline still pumping through his body.

"Eh? Satan-san, why are you on the floor?" Gohan asked as he helped his father-in-law to his feet.

"Oh never mind that. What about you? You're here rather early. Were you able to get enough sleep?"

"I'm fine, I slept well enough. I just wanted to be here early in case she woke up."

"Hmm…" Mr. Satan looked at his daughter. "So far everything is the same as yesterday, she is still out." He then proceeded to rub his weary eyes and stretch.

"Satan-san. You should go get something to eat. I'll stay with her."

A stomach growl seemed to confirm that that was a good idea and Mr. Satan left with little hesitation. Ideally he would have stayed but he knew he had to get something to eat before _he_ ended up in a hospital bed!

Plus it wasn't like Videl would be alone; she had Gohan by her side.

* * *

The rest was a painful waiting game.

The clock seemed to tick on endlessly as Videl had yet to stir from her deep sleep.

By mid-morning Piccolo made his way to the hospital, followed by Bulma, Krillin, and Chaotzu about an hour later. The rest decided to wait at the hotel so as not to crowd the family or the hospital hallways.

"Where's Chi-Chi, Pan, and them?" Krillin asked, noticing their absence.

"I think Pan and the baby are still sleeping. Either way I asked Kasan and Goten to watch over them at my place until Videl wakes up. I don't want Pan to be just sitting around in a hospital waiting for her mom to wake up."

"So she's still under from the anesthesia?" Chaotzu asked rhetorically.

Gohan shook nodded. "Yes. And the doctors said that she should have been up by early this morning. It's almost noon now."

"Well… everyone does react differently to anesthesia. As long as her vitals are OK I don't think there is much need for worry." Bulma added with her (somewhat limited) knowledge of medical science.

The demi-saiyan didn't respond but he was hoping she was right.

.

.

.

It would be noon before any further developments were made.

* * *

"You mean you still haven't been able to reach him?" Bulma questioned. She was on the phone with Chi-Chi who had tried several times to track down Goku.

"No," Chi-Chi responded, her voice was giving away her frustration. "I've tried and tried but nobody seems to know where he is. They even sent out some people looking for him but it's all been in vain."

Bulma sighed and she rubbed her temple. She was starting to get frustrated by this whole ordeal as well. She knew Goku could be rather illusive at times but the fact that the village had actively sent out people to look for him and still couldn't find him made it more irritating. Where the hell was Son Goku?

"Chi-Chi listen, we'll figure something out. We'll find him. For now you have to just focus on the kids." She could tell her friend was getting more upset by the minute and needed direction.

"I'll call you when we get more news about Videl."

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone.

"… OK… Thank you Bulma." Chi-Chi realized that the blue haired woman was right. Right now she had to focus on her grandchildren. She would have to worry about her husband later.

After saying their goodbyes Bulma hung up the phone and turned around to be greeted by her short monk friend.

"Krillin!" She jumped, a bit startled by his sudden appearance.

"Hey Bulma, sorry to scare you." Krillin said with a goofy grin. "I just came down for a snack from the cafeteria and saw you getting off the phone. Everything OK? You look a little flustered."

"Thank goodness." The woman thought to herself. It appeared that Krillin had only caught the very end of her conversation with Chi-Chi and therefore did not know what their discussion was about. They had been friends for most of their lives but she knew that the man in front of her was not great at keeping his mouth shut and this was certainly a topic that needed to be kept secret.

"Ugh, yea." Bulma replied, quickly thinking up of a lie. "I was just calling Chi-Chi to see how the kids were doing. The baby is resting right now and Goten and Chi-Chi are doing there best to comfort Pan."

"Hmm… I can imagine this being a hard time for the kids. Well, mostly Pan since she is old enough to understand what is going on."

Bulma was about to comment back when Chaoztu came rushing down the hallway.

"She's waking up!"

* * *

In the hospital room Videl was slowly coming to.

"Videl… Videl!" Mr. Satan cried as if to help lure her from her deep sleep.

Finally opening her eyes Videl saw her husband and her father leaning over her.

"T-tousan?" She mumbled. It was barely audible but for the men sitting beside her it was music to their ears.

"Videl!" Gohan added to the excitement.

"G-Gohan… where… am I?" She struggled through her words; her body feeling sore and her throat incredibly dry.

"You're in the hospital. We rushed you here after you collapsed in the kitchen yesterday."

She was trying to remember through her daze. She could recall Tien, Chaotzu, and Piccolo coming over. Followed by conversing with everyone in the living room. And then,… then the blood… so much blood.

Videl tried to sit up a little bit but struggled.

"Careful." Mr. Satan cooed as he helped his daughter.

"Could I get some water?" She choked

Piccolo, who had been quietly standing next to the table that held a pitcher of water and several glasses, obliged to Videl's request.

"Arigato." She thanked him, after which he returned to his original position.

While she took a moment to gulp down the much-needed drink, Krillin and the others arrived back at the room.

"Videl!" Bulma shouted happily.

"Hey glad to see you're up! We were worried about you." Krillin added as the trio circled around the bed.

The short Chaotzu floated at the end of the bed in order to see her. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore." Videl replied with a gentle laugh, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal that she was in the position she was in.

She then thought to herself. There was one question that she needed to ask now.

"What happened to me?"

At first nobody responded but a few glances were exchanged.

"Well… ugh…" Mr. Satan spoke up. While it was certainly going to be hard to tell Videl about her surgery, her father didn't even know where to start because he didn't quite understand the dynamics of everything. "You know what. Let me get the doctor, he can explain better than any of us."

"We'll give you guys some room." Bulma said as she and the others followed the world champion out of room leaving just the husband and wife pair.

For the first time since she woke up there was dead silence in the room and Videl was starting to get the suspicion that this nightmare was not over for her. She grabbed her husband's hand, who held back with a firm grip. One look into his eyes and she knew,… something was still wrong. There was something that the others knew that she didn't.

"Found him!" Mr. Satan announced as he and the doctor walked into the room.

"Videl-san, I see that you are finally awake. How are you feeling?" During this time the doctor began to make a few notes from the monitors attached to his patient.

"A little bit groggy, and somewhat sore."

"Those are typical feelings after surgery."

"Surgery?" This was the first time she was hearing about anything so invasive!

The doctor stopped taking his notes and focused fully on her.

"Yes, when your husband brought you in we discovered a bacterial infection in your fallopian tubes. We believe that you contracted it during you accident three months but since then it has been lying dormant in your system. This specific strain of bacteria usually comes out of its dormant stage when in the presence of hormones attributed with the menstrual cycle. Your husband informed us that you have been experiencing rather severe cramps?"

"Somewhat… but I just assumed that they were a bit more severe because I recently had my baby." Then it struck Videl, if she was affected with this then it was possible her son might be infected with this bacteria as well. "What about my son! What if he is infected?"

The doctor shook his head. "Don't worry Videl-san, this bacterial strain very rarely infects males but we ran a few tests and found that your son most certainly does not have it."

Videl was about to interject with another question, but the doctor knew what she was about to ask.

"And even though it would be next to impossible we also tested your daughter and husband and their results were also negative. I am just sorry that we could not have caught this earlier but after your accident you weren't tested for this type of bacteria because it is so exceedingly rare."

It sucked to have your body invaded by something 'exceedingly rare', which is why it went, undetected. But Videl knew there was no changing the past and that the doctors in East City were certainly not at fault. Therefore she moved on to the next question.

"You mentioned a surgery."

The doctor sighed. Now for the difficult part.

"Another attribute of this bacterial strain is that it is very damaging to the tissue it comes in contact with. We had to operate not only to remove the bacteria but also to remove any damaged tissue. While operating we found out that the bacteria had actually spread to your uterus and ovaries and so we had no choice but to perform a full hysterectomy."

"…What?" Videl gasped, not believing what she was hearing. She looked down past her abdomen where she felt a series of stitches through the hospital gown she was wearing.

"I'm very sorry Videl-san, I know this comes as a shock but if we did not perform this procedure you would have died."

She managed to maintain composure for a short time but as reality soaked in things started to become unbearable. A few tears made their way down her cheeks before she hurled herself into Gohan's arms and began sobbing.

"Once again I am very sorry." The doctor added, even though he knew it wouldn't do much to help. He had delivered news like this to many patients before Videl and the only thing to soothe both the physical and emotional scars of something like this, was time.

"Thank you doctor." Mr. Satan said as he helped to calm his daughter.

The doctor then quietly left the room to give them some peace.

It was several minutes before Videl was able to stop uncontrollably crying; and even then tears continued to trickle down her face.

"Tousan." She sniffed. "Can I speak with Gohan alone?"

Mr. Satan nodded. He gave his daughter a tight hug and kiss on the forehead before heading out of the room, tears of his own falling down as he went.

Videl was trying to summon up the courage to a question she already knew the answer to. "I don't suppose we can make a wish to Shenlon to fix what has been done?"

Sadly, Gohan shook his head. "No…" He replied solemnly, "It would be considered a natural death of the tissue and organs. We can't wish it back."

Videl choked behind her tears. She was not prepared for this news. She was not prepared to deal with losing a part of herself.

"Videl, listen," Gohan scooted closer to her. "The most important thing is that you are alive. We can get through the rest together."

He paused as he pulled out a senzu bean from a pouch in his pocket.

"Here," He held his hand out. "Take this. Heal your wounds."

She looked at the senzu in her husband's hand and then back up at him.

"No."

Gohan was taken aback.

"There are some things that the senzu cannot heal and I don't feel like it would be right for one part of me to get instantly better while another part is still broken." Videl broke her eye contact with him. "I want to heal naturally this time… I _need_ to heal naturally this time."

Gohan still had his hand extended with the senzu when the door to the room burst open.

"OKASAN!" Pan cried as she ran towards her mother. Behind her were the distant calls of Chi-Chi telling her granddaughter to 'come back' and to 'not enter the room'.

While Pan clung to her mother Gohan put the magical seed back in its pouch.

"Careful Pan-chan." Videl hollered as her daughter squeezed her in a big hug. "I'm still healing."

Pan looked up at her mother with tears in her eyes. She was so happy to see her mother again and hear her voice.

By this time Chi-Chi had reached the doorway with her grandson in her arms. "I'm sorry." She huffed, catching her breath. "I told Pan to wait but she was insistent on seeing you."

"It's OK." Gohan replied as he got up to take his son from her.

Videl looked down at her daughter and ruffled her hair. "I hope you haven't been giving your grandma too much trouble." She was trying to put on her best face as if nothing was wrong but both Gohan and Chi-Chi knew better.

Rather than responding directly, Pan gave her mother another heartfelt hug.

Videl smiled and turned toward her husband. "Can I see him?"

Gohan gently placed his son into her arms.

It was a bittersweet moment for her. She was so happy her son was OK but at the same time she was deeply saddened by the fact that he would be her last child… and not by choice. Seeing her children by her side she began to cry again.

"Kasan, what's wrong?" Pan asked. With her mother crying she was now about to cry as well.

"Videl." Gohan said in a soothing voice as he tried to comfort her. But he had no words past that.

"Gomen…" She struggled through her tears.

Seeing that having her children around right now was only making Videl more upset about the given circumstances, Chi-Chi decided she needed to do something.

"Gohan, could I talk with Videl alone?"

The demi-saiyan nodded and took his son back but not before Videl laid a gentle kiss on the infants head.

"Come on Pan."

The chibi looked up at her mother, not wanting to let go.

"Don't worry, I'll be alright." Like her son, she gave Pan a gentle kiss and after another hug the chibi followed her father out of the room.

Leaving did not please the Gohan. His wife was upset and he wanted to be there for her but, he thought, perhaps his mother would be able to comfort his wife in ways that he couldn't. Trying not to dwell too much on the issue, he made his way back to the lobby where Bulma and the rest were waiting.

"Gohan, is something wrong." His father-in-law asked. It seemed rather unusual that Gohan would be walking out alone with his kids.

"Kasan just wanted to talk with her." He replied as he sat down next to his friends and family.

For the next hour they talked as Gohan retold what had happened right before Chi-Chi came in. He explained how Videl was taking the news rather hard and how she even refused a senzu. He also described her reasoning that she gave him. The longer he went on the more everyone realized that there was nothing they could say to make the situation better. No magical words to heal the emotional wounds that had been inflicted. Like Videl herself said, only time would be able to do that. In addition to explaining everything to his friends Gohan tackled the additional task of explaining to Pan what was going. While the chibi took the news rather well, it still struck a cord with her that her mother was, in more ways then one, probably never going to be quite the same again.

It wasn't until Chi-Chi came back that they halted their discussion.

Watching her walk down the hallways with the look of grief and defeat Gohan immediately knew things did not go well.

Walking up to her son, Chi-Chi immediately started to apologize. "I'm sorry Gohan but there's nothing I can say to reassure her. She is still very much in a state of shock. I think we just have to give her some time. She said that she actually wanted to be alone for a little bit."

There was that recurring theme again; time.

Wanting to respect his wife's wishes he turned to the others.

"While I very much appreciate you all staying here, I don't think there is much anyone can do at this point."

Bulma furrowed her brows. "Perhaps it would be best if we headed home then." She had verbalized what Gohan was thinking but thought too rude to say himself; but she understood, as did everyone else.

After saying their goodbyes Bulma and Krillin left.

"You going to be alright kid?" Piccolo asked Gohan before preparing to take his leave.

Gohan let out a smile. Despite his age Piccolo still called him 'kid'.

"I will Piccolo-san... thank you."

The Namekian then did something he rarely ever did. He gave the demi-saiyan a hug, which was happily returned.

Afterwards Piccolo said his final goodbyes and was off.

Focusing back on his family in front of him, Gohan asked if they could take his kids back home and watch after them until he got back later that night.

"I want to be here for her just incase she needs me."

The three (Goten, Chi-Chi, and Mr. Satan) respectfully obliged. They knew it would be helpless to convince him to come with them.

Once they had left Gohan simply waited in the hospital lobby, thinking...

…thinking about his wife

…thinking about his family

…thinking about everything that had led up to this moment... this tragedy. The past few months flashed before him and thought deeply as to why all of this happened… and it kept going back to one person.

As the hours went on he became more and more frustrated from his own thoughts until he eventually decided that he did not want to reflect on it anymore. He got up and made his way back to Videl's hospital room.

*knock knock*

He slowly eased open the door.

"Videl." He said lightly as he entered.

The woman sat back up in her bed. "Gohan. You're still here?" It seemed like an odd question that was made even more peculiar by the fact there seemed to be no emotion behind it whatsoever. No surprise, no happiness, just monotone.

"Of course. Your dad, along with my mom and brother, took the kids home and are watching after them. But I wanted to be here for you."

Videl looked at her husband for a few seconds.

"Gohan…" She started. "Go home."

"Nani?"

"There is nothing else you can do… and besides I want to be left alone right now." As she said this she laid down in her bed with her back facing him.

"V-Videl." Gohan tried to protest.

"Please." She asked, a tear falling down her face.

Silence permeated the air as he stood there not quite believing that his wife was asking him to leave. He could sense the depression in her voice but ultimately he knew there was nothing he could do. If he stayed he risked upsetting her even more.

Fighting again his desire to be by her, Gohan quietly surrendered to her demands.

He slowly made his way to the door before he turned back to Videl.

"I'll come back tomorrow morning." He said solemnly, then turned and left the room.


	34. Chapter 33: Nightmares

A/N: Given the name of this chapter I'm sure you can already guess that there is a dream sequence. Shocking, I know! What I would like you to keep in mind while you read this chapter is that when the dream sequence occurs, things are going to become very surreal. What I mean is that I am going to write it from the perspective of inside the dream itself. When we dream, time, space, logic, etc are no longer relevant so there will be parts that don't seem to make a lot of sense. One minute person A might be talking to person B and then the next they are talking to person C, without any sort of transition or realization. Again, it will probably be confusing but I just wanted to try something new and abstract. The most important thing to keep track of is the overall theme. And when you are done with this chapter please let me know what you thought of the 'strangeness' of the narrative.

This is also a big chapter for me both literally and figuratively because not only does it mark the 'beginning of the end' so to speak, but with this chapter I will break the 100,000 word mark! That means if the average page is 250 words I have written… 400 pages! Thank you all for supporting me by reading and reviewing.

As an extra note, please be on the lookout for a one-shot that I am working on called "The Last Diary Entry of Bulma Briefs", which should be up tomorrow or within the next few days. Thanks and enjoy!

**Chapter 33: Nightmares**

On his way out, Gohan gave the hospital one last look before he discretely took off into the air.

The feeling of defeat was weighing heavily on him and he wanted nothing more than to go back to Videl and be by her side. However, he knew he couldn't. He had to respect her wishes and let her be for now.

Landing in front of his house the demi-saiyan wondered how he was going to get through the rest of the day. He felt as if he had failed his wife by not being able to console her.

It most certainly was not a high point in his life.

Taking a deep breath Gohan opened the door to his place.

"Hello?" He said, announcing his presence.

"Otosan!" Pan shouted as she came rushing down the stairs. She embraced her father in a tight hug, which almost threw him off balance.

At first Gohan was surprised by the display of emotion. He hadn't been gone long and it's not like Pan was alone. But, as his daughter held him closer and started to softly weep, it occurred to him that perhaps all she wanted was someone to comfort her, someone who understood her… someone like him.

As he stroked her hair and attempted to calm her down he realized that he couldn't be downtrodden about leaving Videl. No, his children needed him right now just as much as Videl needed her peace. And being the father he was, he was more than happy to be there for them.

"Gohan? You're back?" Mr. Satan, who had just come from the other room, said a bit puzzled.

"Ugh, yes. Videl said that she wanted to be left alone for the rest of the day. She asked me to come back here." He looked back at Pan. "Which I think is the right place for me to be."

Pan gave her father another hug. She needed Gohan and Gohan needed to be able to show her that he was there for her.

* * *

For the rest of the day the family spent time in each other's company in an effort to boost morale. They played games, talked, and watched movies - doing whatever they could to occupy themselves so as not to dwell on the negative aspects of recent events. And during the entire time Gohan was adamant not to leave his kids side. He realized that he might not be able to do anything right now for Videl (she had her own process of handling hard issues) but he could certainly do something for his kids.

While it was tough to spend joyful times with his family without constantly worrying about his wife, the demi-saiyan eventually loosened up to the premise. And it wasn't until he did so that it dawned on him that perhaps Videl had sent him home for this sole purpose. She knew how upset he had been over this whole thing, and that he would continue to stress about it; but since there was nothing more he could do for her, she wanted him to go back and take care of their family. He had to go to mend their wounds now, as well as his own.

Time seemed to speed by because before anyone knew it, night had descended upon North City. Looking outside the window Gohan made a comment to his mother.

"You and Goten might want to start heading home. He has school tomorrow doesn't he?"

"He can certainly miss a day or two if you would rather us stay here and help out around the house and with the kids." His mother replied sympathetically.

This quickly caught the attention of Goten. "Miss school?" He thought to himself. While the circumstances certainly warranted it, it was still a surprise to hear his mother suggest such a thing, being as strict as she was about studying.

Gohan chuckled silently to himself as he observed his brother's reaction. "No, I will be fine. Satan-san has agreed to stay here with us until Videl gets better and I will be off work for quiet some time so it really isn't necessary that you stay. You two should go home and take care of things you need to take care of."

"…OK." Chi-Chi agreed. Suddenly she started to ponder. The only thing she really needed to 'take care of' was to inform her husband of what had happened, but he remained allusive. It was troubling, not knowing when she was going to be able to speak to him again.

"Mom? Are you OK?" Gohan asked. All of a sudden his mother was staring into space and he wondered if he had offended her in some way.

"Huh? Oh yea… I'm fine. Just a little tired." She lied, trying to get back to the now and then. "Well Goten, I guess we better get going before it gets too late."

Her son nodded in agreement and followed her lead as they prepared to depart.

Hugs and goodbyes were shared as Chi-Chi and Goten gathered their things and headed out into the bitter cold.

Goten threw a capsule onto the ground that, after bursting into a big cloud of smoke, revealed a small car-like jet.

He faced his brother and gave him one last hug as Chi-Chi made her way into the aircraft.

"Take care of yourself." He whispered.

"I will."

Goten looked down at Pan. "Watch after him, will ya?" He said with a wink.

Pan smiled up at him "Hai!" She replied enthusiastically.

The younger demi-saiyan gave a final wave and joined his mother. With little hesitation, they lifted into the air and zoomed off towards their home.

With his mother and brother gone Gohan was now aware of just how tired he was, and by the looks of those around him, so was everyone else. With help from Mr. Satan, he put his kids to bed and, after a quick clean up around the house, headed to bed himself.

"Good night Satan-san."

"Good night." Mr. Satan replied drearily as he headed into his room.

Gohan shut the door behind him and stared at the bed he and Videl shared. It would be another cold night spent alone, without her by his side.

With a gentle sigh he climbed under the covers, turned out the lights, and closed his eyes.

Sleep came almost instantly.

But this time it wasn't so merciful.

* * *

Gohan stood in the middle of a room he was not familiar with. There wasn't much light and the walls had a metallic feature that contributed to the overall feeling of unease, like he didn't belong here.

Before he could take any action, he heard a faint whimper from behind.

"Huh?" He looked around trying to locate the source. In one of the corners of the room he spotted Pan, buried beneath a small pile of miscellaneous junk. As he ran towards her and, as he started to toss the debris away, he noticed that most of it seemed to be composed of various toys, clothing, and other things from his childhood. Once he finally cleared it away, he placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"Pan-chan… what's wrong?"

Pan looked up at her father, teary eyed. "Ka-san is sick. I'm scared."

The demi-saiyan pulled her in close to him. "It's going to be OK… she is going to get better. It just may take some time."

He pulled the child back, cradling his son in his arms. "Everything is going to be OK."

"Son Gohan?" Videl's surgeon questioned.

"Hai." The father looked up from his child to the doctor. They were in Videl's hospital room.

"You understand that your wife will no longer be able to have children."

"I do."

"And, you understand this as well Videl?" The doctor said turning to the woman lying in her hospital bed.

"I do." Her voice was without expression.

"Videl, it will be OK. We will make it through this together." Gohan grabbed her hand, the baby no longer in his arms or anywhere near.

Videl remained silent while the doctor escorted himself out of the room. Only when she heard the door shut did she finally speak.

"I should never have met with your father at East City. If I hadn't, maybe everything would have been alright?"

"Don't talk like that, none of this is your fault." Gohan replied. In truth he was starting to see his father's role in all of this. Had Goku just stayed away from his family, none of this would be happening. He knew Videl was just trying to help, and he knew he wasn't entirely innocent himself. Had he been honest with his wife from the beginning, it's possible that she would never have went out of her way to try and restore the father-son relationship. At the same time, Gohan didn't want to upset her. He felt that his past was his burden to bear. That was, at least, until all this.

"Dammit." He cursed to himself. Why did everything have to turn out this way? It was like fate was against them. Had he told her the truth about his father from the beginning, she would have had to share the burden of his past with him. Instead he opted to hide it in order to protect her, but that ending up backfiring with horrendous consequences.

Gohan thought more of his father. He was the problem behind all of this. "If he had just stayed away like I told him, none of this would have ever of happened. It shouldn't have been too hard; after all he was absent most of my life anyway."

The demi-saiyan's anger was flaring up.

"Why does he always have to mess things up? WHY?"

Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore Krillin ran into the hospital room. "Hey guys, you will never believe who's here."

"Hey everybody." A voice called from the other side. It was the last voice Gohan wanted to here.

He swung his head around to see Goku surrounded by their family and friends. The scenery had changed to outside his parent's house. Videl was no longer in front of him or anywhere else in sight. Now his group of friends were focusing all of their attention on the Saiyan.

"Goku, you're back!"

"We've missed you so much!"

"Tell us about your adventures."

The voices all mixed together.

Once again nobody was questioning the fighters absence. Instead they were worshipping him with blind devotion. It didn't matter that he had done damage to each and everyone of them. All that mattered was that he was back.

"Oh hey guys." Goku chuckled whilst scratching the back of his head in a typical Son fashion. "Yea I just came back for some of Chi-Chi's cooking, then I gotta run off again." The consistent laughter from him began to sound like nails on a chalkboard to Gohan. Everything about the scene in front of him was driving him made.

"HEY!" He shouted, causing everyone to halt their conversations with Goku.

"Oh hey, Gohan, I didn't see you there." Goku spoke, still chuckling.

"Did you know that Videl is dead because of you! She died from the injuries she suffered from the car accident; the one that she was in when she met you, after I told you to stay away from us. The same accident that you could have protected her from, had you been paying attention!"

Gohan was seething with rage but it went completely unnoticed by Goku who continued to laugh throughout the entire ordeal.

"Oh, well." He replied. "We can always wish her back with the dragon balls. I'll go search for them after dinner. It will be another adventure."

The insanity of the situation drove Gohan made. Did this man have no respect? Did he care about anyone but himself?

With that last remark by his estranged father, Gohan became enraged to the point where he lunged after his father.

"You Bastard!" He screamed.

Gohan lunged upright in his bed, covered in sweat.

"Huh?" He said to himself quietly, questioning what had just happened.

He looked around and noticed he was back in his room… alone.

Gohan looked down at his hands.

"A dream…" He spoke softly to himself. He glanced at the alarm clock by his bed.

_7:00am_

"…it was just a dream." He sighed before burying his hands in his face. It was only a few seconds before the demi-saiyan started to weep. While it was only a dream, it had managed to stir up a lot of emotions about his life and his father.

While he was trying to get his thoughts in order on the events that occurred in said dream, he realized what he had said towards the end.

"Videl… why did I tell him she was dead?"

There was a sudden pit in his stomach. He realized right then and there that he had to see her – immediately.

Gohan jumped out of bed as his anxiety grew. He didn't know why he was feeling this way. He knew it was just a dream. But nonetheless he couldn't shake the panic that was surging through his body. No matter how times he told himself, "It's just a dream. It's just a dream.", he was unable to calm himself down.

Getting dressed in record time, Gohan opened the door to his bedroom and began racing down the hall. He had only taken a few steps before he collided with his father-in-law.

"Oop, sorry Satan-san. I was just…" Gohan halted his speech when he looked down at his father-in-law. There were tears in his eyes and he seemed heavily distressed. "Satan-san?"

"G-G-Gohan… V-Videl…" He struggled through his words. "V-Videl… she's dead!"

"WHAT!"

Nightmare had become reality.

It seemed like before he was even able to register what had been said, the demi-saiyan was standing in front of his wife at the hospital, surrounded by friends and family who made their way to the hospital following the news.

"V-Videl." He muttered as tears made their way down his face. Stroking back her hair he noticed how white she looked. It was something he had seen too often in his life. It was the look of death. His wife, Videl Satan, was dead.

"I'm terribly sorry for your loss." The doctor spoke up as Gohan continued to break down. He couldn't handle this. He didn't want to handle this. It was all too much. How could his wife be dead? Feeling his emotional state start to wither, Gohan collapsed, laying his head by his wife's body and sobbing relentlessly.

Krillin walked up to his friend and laid a hand on his shoulder. It wasn't much but it was the only sentiment that he, or anyone else, could think of at the moment.

For what seemed like an eternity, the only sound in the hospital room came from the grieving collective. No discussions, no doctors taking notes, no heart monitor sounds,… just cries of grief and sorrow.

"Okasan…" Pan whispered as she watched her father collapse into a heap by her mother's side. With everything too much to bear she turned away and rested her head on Mr. Satan's shoulder who was holding her.

The former world champion patted her back lightly in an act of comfort, trying his best to hold what little he had left, together.

Like her father Pan couldn't believe this was happening. She had just seen her mother less than 24 hours ago, how could she be dead?

The chibi continued to cry, thoroughly soaking her grandfather's shirt. It wasn't until she picked her head up to wipe away her tears that she noticed someone approaching from the other end of the hallway. She wiped her eyes once more to make sure it wasn't just a hallucination.

"Ogiichan?"

"Yes, Pan-chan?" Mr. Satan turned his head slightly towards her.

"No, No, Ogiichan." Pan restated as she jumped from his arms and started running down the hall.

"Huh?" He turned and followed his granddaughter's movements until he spotted what she was running towards. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Ogiichan!" Pan screamed, although it came out rather hoarse due the excessive crying she had just done.

"Hey Pan." The familiar man greeted, picking her up.

"G-Goku!" Mr. Satan exclaimed without much thought given to whether or not anyone could hear him.

"Goku? Goku!" The crowd began to question upon hearing of the famous Saiyan's name.

It wasn't until now that Gohan had realized what was going on. He turned swiftly to see everyone greet his father as he approached.

"Hiya." Goku greeted rather cheerfully, unaware as to why everyone was gathered in this hospital room.

"Goku where have you been?" Chi-Chi cried out as she smothered her husband in a tight hug.

"Training with Uub. I came home to pick up a few things but nobody was around. I ended up sensing Goten's ki and made my way here. What's everyone doing here?"

Chi-Chi continued to cry into his chest, which confused him.

"What's wrong Chi-Chi, was I gone too long?"

"No, Goku,…" Bulma quickly interjected. "It's Videl, she… she…"

"She's dead!" Gohan shouted with a mixture of emotions running through him. He was grieving for his lost wife but at the same time he was anxious with his father now being there. He was in so much pain he didn't quite know what to feel. The last thing he wanted to do was start a fight with him given the situation, but still…

Goku's face suddenly became serious as he set down his granddaughter. Gohan had stepped to the side with his arm extended towards the hospital bed. The Saiyan now had a clear view of Videl lying on the bed, motionless. Taking a few seconds to digest what he was seeing, Goku eventually turned towards Gohan. "I-I'm sorry son. I'm so sorry."

It was so simple yet there was something about the way he said it that sounded so genuine and sincere. It somehow conveyed unparalleled sympathy and, while he wasn't crying like the others, Gohan suddenly saw his father as someone caring and at the same time, a figure of strength. Maybe it was all the emotions he was going through but something had clicked inside the demi-saiyans mind and it was like time was instantly reversed. He felt like he was a toddler again, in need of comforting from the man he looked up to as a child.

Gohan took a step forward to embrace his father in a hug, to take comfort, something he never thought he would do ever again.

But right before he did so Goku turned his back to Gohan, and faced Chi-Chi.

"Will this affect my training?"

.

.

.

.

Everybody froze and the world stood still for Gohan.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Yet the words echoed tortuously around him.

.

"Will this affect my training?"

"Will this affect my training?"

"Will this affect my training?"

.

He had just showed his most vulnerable side to this man and he completely abused it. How could his father say something like that right now?

The odd thing, though, was that he was more hurt than angry. He felt more violated than disrespected.

Before he could say anything his father was far away from him.

"Goodbye." He said without care. And with that statement the world around Gohan began to literally fall apart. The hospital around him crumbled and those close to him shattered like glass and fell into a dark oblivion.

That word… "Goodbye". It brought about the absolute worst feelings in him and suddenly he felt himself reliving every horrific moment from his childhood.

From being kidnapped by Raditz to watching his many friends die before his eyes. Everything came flooding back to him in one tremendous wave. As fast as everything seemed to be moving, the only moments that were prolonged were the most traumatic ones, the ones that affected him the most. And it was not a coincidence that they all involved Goku…

"_We wish for Son Goku to be brought to the Earth's check in station." Bulma yelled up at the mighty dragon._

_Porunga concentrated for a moment. The dragon then replied with something nobody was expecting to hear. "Your wish cannot be granted. The one called Goku cannot be brought to the Earth's check in station because he is still alive, doing so would kill him."_

"_What? Alive? Goku's Alive?" The huddled masses began to speak. While there was some confusion as to how he could still be alive it was determined that the he must not be able to get back home. Well the solution for that was simple. The wish was to be…_

"_Alright, bring Son Goku back to Earth!"_

_Once again Porunga concentrated._

"_Your wish cannot be granted."_

_Everyone's spirits quickly diminished. "What?" What was going on?_

"_Why not?"_

"_The one called Goku does not wish to be brought back right now." Porunga stated._

_There was even more confusion among the crowd. None of what was being said made any sense. Goku was alive but he didn't want to come back?_

_Amongst the group was a young boy with just as many questions. "W-Why?" Gohan thought to himself. "If he's been alive all this time why hasn't he come back? Why won't he come back now? We need him."_

"I was just a little boy…" Gohan told himself as the memory he was reliving melted around him and transitioned to the next,

and the next,

and the next,

… until it ended up at the event that haunted him the most; the Cell Games.

He was just reliving this memory he was feeling it. Every excruciating detail. Every punch, every kick, all while Goku looked on and did nothing.

_His father had turned him over to this monster and what did it culminate to?_

"NO!" Gohan shouted. He didn't want to relive that part again. Anything but that moment, ANYTHING. But he couldn't stop it, not now, not then…

_He beat his hands into the ground at Cell's declaration that he was about to self destruct and take everyone with him. He lost and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Then, suddenly, his father appeared infront of him and place a hand on Cell._

"_Hey, you did good Gohan."_

"_T-Tousan?"_

"_Take care of your mother for me. And tell her I'm sorry, I know I've given her such a hard time… Goodbye Gohan!"_

_And then the two were gone._

"_OTOSAN!"_

"NO!" Gohan screamed loud enough that he finally woke himself up.

The demi-saiyan sat up in his bed with his arm outstretched, the same way it had been those many years ago when his father had teleported with Cell. He heaved greatly, completely out of breath, eyes now wide open, as cold sweat dripped down his body.

For a few seconds he remained still as his consciousness fully took over. Suddenly he scrambled out of bed as if it held a dozen poisonous spiders, and plastered his back to the adjacent wall. He was still heaving, gasping for air, as he stared at his bed. He looked upon it as a place of torture now, rather than a place of rest.

But this wasn't the first time he had done so.

Sliding down to a sitting position he realized the upsetting memories were not over, because he now remembered the dreams he had after the Cell Games. They were so similar to what he just had and they were recurring dreams, that haunted him for years and years. Too often during those times would he find himself in the same position he was in now; sitting flush against the wall, knees to his chest, and shaking uncontrollably with fear. Fear that nobody should ever have to experience.

Gohan rested his head down on his knees wondering what this all meant. "Are they going to start up again?" He questioned to himself, shivering more at just the prospect of it. His past continued to haunt. He thought he had gotten over some of it at least, but in reality it still gripped him with a mighty hold. The demons of his past would not let him go.

He began to panic as to what this meant. The floodgates to his most feared memories were open and he was at their mercy…

…or so he thought.

After a few moments of thinking he lifted his head back up with a realization.

Before he was just a child and had no way of confronting his demons, there was nothing he could do about it. But now… now things were different. Now he had a way to combat them. There was a way to resolve his past. While he would forever harbor memories, there was a way he could get closure.

Gohan closed his eyes.

He knew what he needed to do.


	35. Chapter 34: Estranged Reunions

A/N: So I guess a few people were a bit confused by the last chapter. Yes, it was a dream within a dream so Videl is not really dead. I apologize for any confusion. I have also learned that quite a few people do not like the use of Japanese words (something that was discussed before) and I have therefore decided that my next stories will not include them. However, for consistency I am going to continue with them for the rest of this story. I thank everyone for their reviews and constructive criticism. Enjoy this chapter and please go check out my most recent one-shot "The Last Diary Entry of Bulma Briefs", based on the alternate timeline in which Trunks is killed by Cell before Cell steals his time machine. A bit sad throughout but ends on a good note. Anyway, on with this fic.

**Chapter 34: Estranged Reunion**

It took some time before Gohan was able to stop his body from shaking. The process was gradual but knowing he had a way to confront his demons helped tremendously in calming himself down. Once his body stopped shaking all together, he found the courage to stand back up. When he felt comfortable enough on his feet he made his way to his dresser. Right now he was taking baby steps but the progress he was making to get out of the door was exponentially growing. After rummaging through his clothes and putting on a certain outfit, Gohan made his way downstairs.

Due to his appetite not being very big at the moment, he indulged himself in a small breakfast. As he finished Mr. Satan drearily made his way down to the kitchen as well.

"Ah, Satan-san, I'm glad you're up." Gohan said as he put his dishes in the dishwasher.

Before Mr. Satan could respond, his son-in-law continued.

"Listen, there is something I have to go out and do. I should be back later today but I was wondering if you would mind looking after Pan and the baby while I'm gone."

Mr. Satan was immediately confused. "Ehh, ughh… I guess. I mean sure, it's no problem bu-" He was going to ask where Gohan was going and why it seemed so urgent, but before he could do so he was interrupted.

"Thanks, I wouldn't be going unless it was necessary." Gohan thought for a second. While he felt bad about leaving, he knew fighting his demons was indeed necessary for both him and his family. After a brief pause for his thought, he focused back on the older man. "I'm sure the kids will be asleep most of the day anyway, with everything that's been going on within the past few days. But I will still be back as soon as I can."

Opening the door, Gohan gave one last wave. "I'll be back soon." He then took off into the air.

When the door shut behind his son-in-law, Mr. Satan stood in-place for a long moment. Having just woken up he was still trying to understand what just happened. There were many questions he had but Gohan had left before he could even ask them. 'Where was Gohan going? Why was he going this early? Was it work? Did he really need to go? Why was he wearing his gi?'

* * *

"How are you feeling this morning Videl-san?" The nurse asked gently as she made some notes off the various monitor readings.

"Doing all right. My wounds are starting to become a bit itchy though." Videl replied nonchalantly.

"Hmm… That happens from time to time. I'll ask the doctor if there is any thing we can give you to help the itching." The nurse then looked at the empty breakfast tray by her patient's bedside. "If you're done, I can take that for you."

"Oh, yes, thank you."

"I'll be back to let you know what the doctor says." The nurse mentioned on her way out, after picking up the tray.

Videl just smiled and nodded. After having gone though such a rough time physically and mentally, she was glad that she was at least getting good care from the hospital staff.

With her breakfast done Videl laid down her bed and stared out the big pane glass window. The snow had turned the city landscape into a winter wonderland. She sighed as she took in the view. Her concentration on the scenery was only disturbed when she heard her hospital door open.

"That was qui-" Videl started to say, expecting it to be the nurse back with news from the doctor. Instead she found somebody else.

"… G-Gohan."

"Good morning." He smiled as he grabbed a chair next to her.

"I wasn't expecting you this early. Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday." Her voice was gentle but still held a sorrowful tone.

"It's OK, I understand."

He was adverting eye contact and which gave Videl the hint that he was anxious about something. "Gohan, what's wrong?"

She then noticed what he was wearing. Brown boots, baggy purple pants with a matching shirt that had partially cut off sleeves and a deep neck line, all held together by a navy blue wrap-around belt. Underneath of the purple shirt was a light blue, long sleeve shirt he often used for colder weather.

"Is that your gi?"

Gohan finally faced her. Looking into her cerulean eyes, he nodded in confirmation.

"Why are you wearing it?"

"…Because there is something I have to do."

His wife looked at him puzzled before he continued.

"Last night I had a nightmare, the same type of nightmare I told you recently that I experienced on and off throughout my teenage years. It was almost just as horrifying as those times and I know they will be recurring if I don't do something about them… if I don't confront them."

Videl was starting to see where this was headed. Right after her accident, when Gohan had told her everything about his past, he had also mentioned the nightmares that came with it, which only served to rub salt in the wounds. They were so detailed and horrifying that they had brought him to the edge of insanity. And the one person persistent in the nightmares was Goku.

"I have to see him."

Videl's focus was brought back to her husband.

"I have to talk with him and confront him about everything that I have been holding in all of these years. I have to let him know exactly how I feel about everything. This is something I have to do."

Making further connections between what Gohan was saying and what he was wearing Videl had just one question for him.

"A-Are you going to fight him?" Despite her somewhat shaky voice, she was fully prepared for any answer he was going to give her.

Gohan remained silent for a long time.

"… I don't know…"

But Videl didn't quite believe him, and to an extent, neither did he.

"Your dad is watching the kids and I plan on being back before evening. That is unless you want me to stay with you. I don't want to leave if you feel you need me here."

It was one of those moments in Videl's life that everything seemed to be silenced and time stood still. She didn't really want for Gohan to leave and confront his father if it meant there was a possibility for a fight. She would have preferred him to stay home and for them to get over these problems together. But deep inside she knew it wasn't that simple. There were some things that she could not help Gohan on. If the world were a perfect place, maybe she could have, but if the world were a perfect place then he would never have gone through these things to begin with. Videl thought long and hard before coming up with an answer for Gohan.

"Go." She muttered. "If you feel this is what you need to do then you need to do it… you have my full support. I hope that talking with him will help and it can give you both some closure. But no matter what happens, I want you know that I will always love you."

A tear slide down her cheek, which was quickly wiped away from Gohan.

"I love you too."

He dug around his belt for a second before producing a senzu bean. "I'm going to leave this here just in case you change your mind or in the unlikely event that anything should happen. Know that if anything does happen I will stop whatever I am doing and rush to be here."

"I know." Videl responded with a weak smile.

Gohan placed the bean on the side of the table, kissed his wife, and headed towards the door. Before exiting he gave her one last look.

"I'll be fine." She reassured him, giving him a final reassurance.

She watched as he left, wondering what the outcome at the end of the day would be. Only time would tell.

As she contemplated the future as well as the past, Videl closed her eyes and whispered a prayer of hope and healing for everyone involved in this.

When she opened her eyes she found herself staring at the senzu bean Gohan had left behind, thinking about its power but also its limitations.

* * *

"OK Uub let's take a short break." Goku exhaled deeply after their morning warm-up of a 50 kilometer run.

"A break… already?" Uub asked. When he first met Goku he remembered these morning rituals to be quite exhausting but now he felt himself not being able to wait until the next activity.

Goku laughed. "I know, I know but we've had some extensive training these past few days. If we don't take things easy every once in awhile we could stress our bodies out too much and do damage."

Uub sighed, slightly disappointed. "I understand." He then laid down, arms stretched out, in the shade of a huge rock formation. They weren't too far from Uub's village and the forest scenery they started in was starting to change into a rougher terrain.

His mentor sat next to him and opened up his backpack, fishing out a water canteen. After quenching his thirst he handed it to the younger warrior. "Here."

Uub took the canteen and drunk a few big gulps.

"Ahhh, much better." He said, wiping his mouth. "I feel like all my energy is restored now."

Goku chuckled again. "Haha, sometimes all you need to regain your strength is something to drink… and, sometimes, a good meal."

Uub smiled as he thought to himself. Speaking of strength he was surprised as to how much progress he had made since they first met. With the help of Goku he had become stronger than he ever thought was possible. But still, he wondered…

"Hey Goku."

"Hmm?"

Uub sat up to face the Saiyan. "You told me that I am the reincarnation of 'Kid Buu', that bad guy you all fought years ago."

"Mhmmm."

"And you also told me that you had hoped to train me to become as strong as he once was…"

"Yes, I remember." Goku replied, thinking back.

"So I was wondering… how long do you think it will be before I am as powerful as him?"

This was a question Uub had asked a few times but had never received a direct answer. He desperately wanted to be powerful enough to protect the Earth. After all, it is was the whole reason Goku was training him.

"Well…" Goku chuckled once more as he scratched the back of his head. He was trying to think of a response when he found someone else answering for him.

"You already are."

"Eh?" The two said collectively as they turned towards the direction of the voice.

Goku's eyes widened. "G-G-Gohan!"

Approaching them, Gohan remained stoic in his demeanor. "You already are as powerful as Kid Buu, Uub."

Uub immediately stood up in a defensive pose. "Hey, how do you know my name? Goku, do you know this guy?"

Before his mentor could respond Gohan spoke up again. "I don't believe we were ever introduced but I was at the last Tenkaichi Budokai watching you fight. I'm Goku's son, Gohan."

Uub's eyes widened. "Y-you're Gohan?" He remembered Goku telling him a bit about his family and he soon realized the mistake he had just made. Clasping his hands together he bowed apologetically. "Please forgive me Gohan-san."

"It's all right. You have never seen me before so I didn't expect you to know who I was."

Uub smiled with the knowledge that his faux pas was forgiven but after introductions, what Gohan had said began to hit him. "Wait, what do you mean I am as powerful as Kid Buu."

Gohan lifted up an eyebrow. "Well truth be told, you aren't _as_ powerful as him… You've already surpassed him."

"Nani!"

"Like your trainer, I can sense your energy right now. I would say your power level surpassed that of Kid Buu's some time ago. He (Goku) probably didn't tell you because he wanted to see how strong you could get if you always thought you had not yet obtained the power you had in your past life."

Uub stood jaw-dropped.

He turned to Goku. "Sensei… is all this true?"

The Saiyan, who had just come over the shock from seeing his estranged son, smiled innocently at Uub. "Haha, well when you put it that way, I guess it is. Haha."

Uub narrowed his eyes and smirked. "Goku you trickster. Using my power for your own curiosity."

Gohan glared at his father. "Yea… he does that."

Goku's laughter at Uubs playful comment came to a halt when Gohan had spoken to him. He quickly regained his composure to question his son.

"Gohan, what are you doing here?" His voice conveyed a sense of bewilderment.

"We have talk, but not here."

"Where then?" Goku questioned further.

Gohan hovered into the air. "Follow me."

Even if he hadn't seen his son in months, the seriousness in his tone told Goku that the only option he had – was now. He turned back to his protégé.

"Uub, go back to the village, I will meet up with you there later."

The young warrior looked from Gohan to Goku. He could easily tell this had to do with something serious so he nodded in agreement with the orders just given to him.

"All right, let's go." Goku said as he hovered in the air.

Gohan powered up and shot off into the sky, quickly followed by his father, leaving Uub alone.

"I wonder what that's all about?" He thought to himself.

* * *

Piccolo stood at the edge of the Lookout looking down upon the Earth. He had sensed this day was coming. Therefore, ever since he had left the hospital he had been at the Lookout, watching Gohan's movements. He had the disadvantage of not knowing what was said but he still had a pretty good idea. Plus, if his guess was right, then he really didn't need to know what was said, but rather what was done.

He was now watching Gohan fly away from Uub with Goku close behind.

"He's taking him somewhere." The Namekian grimaced.

Once he figured out the general direction Gohan was headed he knew where they were going. He wasn't sure if it made things better or worse but either way he wasn't going to get involved, not unless thing got too out of control. This was between father and son, he had no right to interfere.

As they approached their destination Piccolo's suspicions were confirmed and he let out a brief sigh.

"And so it begins, in the place where it ended."


	36. Chapter 35: Sins of the Father

A/N: So here it is, the chapter many of you have been waiting for. Gohan finally discusses the source (or sources) of his grievances with his father. I have tried to use quite a few examples with references but there may be more in the next chapter or two. Please remember this is simply my take on one perspective of Goku as a person. After awhile of watching DBZ I thought to myself how some of the stuff he did was kind of F*cked up (in my opinion) which is what inspired me to write this fanfic. I wanted to write what might happen if someone finally confronted Goku about his decisions. Agree/Disagree but always review Thanks everyone and I shall try to have this story completed by the three year mark. Only a few chapters left! Enjoy!

**Chapter****35: Sins of the Father**

A few minutes passed before Goku began to question where his son was taking him. If Gohan wanted to talk in private, away from Uub, they could have landed anywhere by now but they didn't… they just kept going. Obviously his son had a specific place in mind but where? And perhaps more importantly… why? What was this all about? It had been months since the two had spoken and that last time had not ended on good terms. So why did his son seek him out today? Goku wanted to ask these questions while they were flying but anytime he managed to get close to Gohan's side, his son sped up. Obviously the demi-saiyan did not want to answer any questions at the moment so, taking the hint, Goku eased off and decided to be patient. It appeared he really had no other choice.

It ended up being another half an hour before Gohan finally started to descend. They had reached their destination.

The two landed several meters apart on a grassy patch of land that, to Goku, seemed to be like any other place around; in the middle of nowhere. He gazed around as Gohan kept his back to him. For a long moment the only sound was that of the gentle winter breeze that flowed through the air. Rubbing his arms, Goku continued to wonder why his son had brought him here because all he could see was empty landscape around him.

"You don't remember this place… do you?" Gohan asked, quickly drawing his father's attention back to him and away from the scenery.

The demi-saiyan turned around to face him. Goku gave another quick look-over at the surrounding area. There was something familiar about this place, something very familiar. He had been here before – a long time ago, he just couldn't place when and for what reason. Goku's thoughts quickly focused back onto the estranged son before him rather than the place where they had landed.

"Gohan, what's going on? Why did we fly all the way out here to talk? I haven't seen you since-"

"Since we moved to North City, I know." Gohan completed his sentence for him.

Goku nodded.

"I guess I should not only explain as to why I came searching for you but also give you an update as to what's happened recently. After all, I overheard Kasan tell Bulma that she had tried to call to get a hold of you but you've been out training with Uub, where your priorities lie."

Goku was a bit surprised by this. He thought he had told Chi-Chi that he wouldn't be in Uub's Village this weekend; rather that they would be training rather far away and he wouldn't be able to be reached by phone. Regardless, the jab Gohan had made about where his priorities lie made him realize that his son's animosity towards him was still present.

Rather than argue about 'priorities', Goku side-stepped that issue to address why Chi-Chi had tried to contact him.

"Why was your mom trying to get a hold of me? What's happened?" He asked with a bit or urgency in his voice. It was fairly obvious that some big event had occurred. After all, his son (who once said that he never wanted to see him again) had sought him out and was now standing only a few meters away. Any normal day would not have brought this on.

"Videl's in the hospital." Gohan stated rather bluntly. Even though he knew his father was going to react sympathetically, he had become so jaded from previous experiences that he felt as if any type of empathy from his father was fake.

"The hospital?" Goku's eye shot wide open. "Is she all right?"

"She's alive, but I certainly wouldn't say everything is all right."

"What do you mean?"

Gohan sighed. He had to retell this horrific scenario once again. "Two days ago she collapsed in our kitchen with blood running down her leg. I quickly flew her to the hospital where the doctors told me that she had a deadly bacterial infection. It originated from the car accident she was in a few months ago in East City when she was meeting you. A small amount of bacteria went unnoticed and hibernated inside her until just recently. By the time she collapsed the infection had spread across her entire uterus and the only option the doctors had was to perform an emergency hysterectomy; they had to cut it out of her. They managed to save her life but at a cost of something Videl cared very much about – the ability to give birth. I cannot begin to describe to you how distraught she was when she heard the news. While we were both happy that she was alive, she was soon beside herself with grief over having lost the gift of producing life. That is why Kasan tried to call you. But just like when the accident occurred, you were nowhere to be found, even though if it wasn't for you, none of this would be happening."

Goku had been trying to process everything that he was hearing. His daughter-in-law had almost died two days ago and he never knew. And his wife had tried to reach him but since he was out training with Uub in the wilderness, she couldn't. He was about to express his condolences when the last bit of what his son had said hit him.

"Wait… what do you mean 'if it wasn't for me'?"

Gohan grew a bit agitated at this point. He had given his father one simple rule to follow when he moved to North City. "I told you to stay away from us! I asked for one thing and you went against it. I didn't want anyone in may family to suffer from your actions the way I have, so I asked you to stay away. But you couldn't do that. If you had just left us alone none of this would be happening!"

"Gohan, you can't see this as my fault." He pleaded

"If you hadn't had met Videl in East City that day she would have never had been involved in that accident. If you had just listened to me-"

"Videl called me and told me to meet her there." Goku interrupted, feeling his own agitation rise. He felt as if he was being falsely accused for something beyond his control. "She was only trying to help us mend our relationship."

"That's only because she thought it could be fixed. It's only because she never knew the things you did, the decisions you made, the events that happened HERE!" Gohan flung his arms as he emphasized that last word

And then it dawned upon Goku… he knew where was.

"You finally remember now, don't you?"

Goku just nodded in response as he looked around once more. Things had changed a little bit. The craters and marks in the earth caused by the epic battle there many years ago were now evened out and covered in grass.

"Do you have any idea of what that day was like for me? Do you have any idea what it's like for an 11 year old boy to be beaten and then slowly squeezed to near death by a monster while his father just looks on?"

Goku looked back at his son who had tears running down his face. They both immediately had flash backs to Gohan's fight with Cell, and the time that the latter caught the former in a death grip and began to squeeze his entire body.

"Do you want to know what I was thinking at that moment… when Cell had me in his grasp?"

Goku remained unresponsive, Piccolo had asked him that same question that day.

"The only thought in my mind at that moment was 'Why… Why isn't he helping me?' 'Why is my father just standing there doing nothing?' I screamed louder and louder hoping that you would realize that I needed help… but you never moved an inch!"

Goku stood there shocked as he remembered Piccolo saying the exact same thing that day _(A/N:__Youtube 'Piccolo tells Goku about Gohan' for reference. It should be the first video that pops up). He never got to talk about it with Gohan because he sacrificed himself later that day. It wasn't until now that it was finally being brought up… but Gohan was only getting started on his father's faults._

Gohan struggled through his tears. He had kept these emotions bottled up inside of himself for years in an effort to protect the image of his father from their friends, who saw Goku as a hero and a symbol of hope.

"That day… you rested the fate of the entire world on my shoulders. One minute you were fighting Cell and the next you were surrendering, pushing me onto the battlefield. I can't say that I wasn't expecting to fight, after all that is what we had been training for. But for me to go one on one with someone even you couldn't beat… I was scared out of my mind. I didn't say it at the time because I trusted that you knew what you were doing and I wanted you to be proud of me. I actually looked up to you." Gohan continued to sob angrily as he recalled the feeling of absolute betrayal by his father. "And what did you end up doing after sending me into the lions den? You gave Cell a senzu bean to make things 'fair'! It's like you didn't care about the danger he posed to me or even to the Earth. All you wanted to do was to see a good fight and for me to get angry. Then when Cell produced his offspring (Cell Juniors) you acted surprised that he wasn't fighting according to your standards."

Goku was trying to search for something to say, something to redeem himself to some degree. "But Gohan… you ended up beating him. You ended up becoming stronger than all of us and you saved the Earth."

"And look what it cost me!"

"Huh?"

"When I finally transformed, my Saiyan side took a hold of me. I became like you and Vegeta and I thirsted for battle. I wanted to make Cell suffer and in doing so I let him turn the tables on me by self-destructing. And that's when you came in… Son Goku was going to be a hero once again and pick up the mess that his son had created with a noble sacrifice. You know all of these years I have always wondered why. Why you chose to die at that point in time. Did you feel you made a mistake when I transformed because it hit you that you were no longer number 1? Was your ego too bruised that you decided that making yourself a martyr was the best option for YOU, despite the effects it had on our family?"

"G-Gohan… I transported Cell away from the Earth to protect everyone. I didn't have enough time to transport back and when I was killed I realized that perhaps the world would be better if I stayed dead. It had nothing to do with feeling inferior to you."

Gohan gave him a cold stare. "Who are you trying to convince, me or you?" He wasn't having any of it. He was finally calling his fathers bullshit.

"Eh? Gohan, I-"

"We both know that you chose death before Cell started to self-destruct. It was the only way that you could still be seen as the hero because, heaven forbid someone take that away from you. I can only imagine your delight when you realized your way out to become the 'altruistic' savior once again. If you couldn't be the most powerful the you were going to go out being the ultimate hero."

"That's not true!" Goku yelled, getting more defensive.

"Yes it is!" Gohan yelled back. "We both knew you had ample time to transport Cell to Kaio-sama's planet, pick them up, and then transport them back to Earth. You had made your plan when Cell started to self-destruct but took your time to say a long goodbye to everyone so it would be remembered as the last noble deed of the _glorious Son Goku."_

For the first time during their talk Goku was truly stumped. He **had** taken his time to say goodbye rather than teleport to and from Kaio-sama's planet. Desperately he was trying to go back through his memories to remember what was going through his mind at the time. However, Gohan continued with his onslaught.

"You only stayed dead because it made YOU the hero. The only reason why you're here now is because it benefited YOU. You advanced as far as you could in the after-life and you had succeeded me by becoming a Super Saiya-jin 3. If your original intentions were true you would have stayed dead even after the battle with Buu."

Goku looked back up at his son,… again not knowing what to say.

"Of course once Buu was destroyed you knew he would come back reincarnated. He was a warrior like no other and you wanted to train him. So you stuck around for a while with us, letting us trust you that you would be there for us. Of course that wasn't true because as soon as Uub appeared you discarded us like trash and ran off with him."

"Gohan stop! I cared about you and everyone else. That is why I made the decision to leave and I'm only training Uub so he can take my place."

"Don't you get it? Nobody can take your place. That is why Uub is now more powerful than Kid Buu… and it's also why you're currently more powerful than Uub."

Goku's eyes widened. I-It can't be… How had Gohan known he had superceded Uub in power?

"Uub is simply another person you are using as a tool for your own selfish reasons, the same selfish reasons that caused you to leave us for 7 years." Gohan was growing angrier but at the same time there was a part of him that grew calmer. He was finally getting everything out in the open.

Goku was desperately trying to find something he could say. "Then… Then why did say that you were OK with my decision after the fight with Cell?"

Gohan's eye twitched with frustration. "I was 11 years old and I looked up to you! I trusted any decision you made then. Besides, you barely gave me a moment to respond. You told us you were leaving, you didn't ask." He took in a deep breath before continuing. "And that's when the guilt over your death enveloped me. I was so young and I blamed myself for your death and I thought it was because of me that you didn't want to come back. You cannot even begin to imagine what its like to deal with that type of pain for years on end. On top of that I was the one who had to deliver news to Kasan about your death and listen to her cry herself to sleep every night for the next month. I had to stay strong for her; especially once she found out she was pregnant with Goten. I was going through so much grief that I wanted to kill myself because all anybody talked about was you! But I knew I couldn't. If I had killed myself then Kasan would have been left alone with her unborn child and I couldn't do that to her. Instead I suffered in silence. I thought things would get better once the baby was born, but when Goten turned out to look like a carbon copy of you that's all anyone could comment on and I was back in Hell. For YEARS I suffered because of what had happened. Any good night was a night that I didn't have a horrifying nightmare that caused me to relive the events of that day. I BLAMED MYSELF FOR YOUR SELFISH DECISIONS!"

Tears were once again streaming down Gohan's face as he remembered the intense mental anguish that was his teenage years.

After a few moments the demi-saiyan collected himself. He wiped his eyes and sniffed back a few strangling tears before regaining his composure.

"I was alone." He muttered softly, although loud enough that Goku could still hear it. "I was all alone. I had to take care of Kasan and Goten by myself. I had to be everything because you weren't there. I had to explain to Goten why you weren't around and answer questions about you. I had to suffer through my guilt in order to take care of them."

Goku stood in awe at this revelation. He had no idea Gohan had suffered this much during his absence… he had never bothered to ask. For the first time in a long time Goku had tears running down his face. Tears of regret.

"Years past before I was able to forgive myself for what I had done and just as I was doing so, you came back into the picture. I actually cared about you again. I trusted you, only for you to do the same thing that you have always done… leave. You left us after the fight with Frieza so you could train, you left us after the fight with Cell so you could train, and you left us for Uub… so you could train. That's all your life has been about, not family, not friends,… training!"

"You're right." Goku sighed feeling defeated and broken down. "You're right. I haven't been around as much as I should have." He crossed his arms thinking back to his childhood. "Even when I was younger I would often leave on a whim and nobody would ever say anything. Perhaps that is where this all stems from."

"You can't blame this on other people Goku!" Gohan shouted. He felt as if his father was trying to make excuses.

Goku looked back up at his son. There was obviously more he had to say.

"I'm half-Saiyan thanks to you. I understand that desire for adventure but I have made a conscious choice to put my family and friends first. Unlike you, I have taken responsibility as a father and as a defender of Earth." Gohan paused to recollect his thoughts. "You say that you want to protect Earth but for my entire life you have made decisions suggesting otherwise. You have constantly abandoned us to fulfill your own satisfaction and you have made decisions that have put everyone's lives in jeopardy."

He didn't wait for Goku to ask what decisions the Saiyan had made that put people's lives at risk. He had already given the example of when Trunks had come to warn them of the Androids and how they had to power to stop them before they even became a threat, but Goku decided against it _(A/N:__Chapter 11)._

"Almost every battle I have witnessed you fight in you have had complete disregard for the severity of the threat before you. How many times have you asked for an enemy to power up to their max level before you fought them?"

Once again Goku gave a blank stare. It was the all the answer Gohan needed.

"Decisions like these have lead to people getting injured or killed and yet you've always been surprised when an enemy didn't play by your rules."

Goku hung his head in shame as reflected on his life. How many bad decisions had he made? How many people besides his son had he hurt?

"But I will not be like you!" Gohan then let out a wave of power that caused the ground underneath him to crack. "I will not make the same mistakes you have made or even the same mistakes I have made with Cell and Buu."

This release of energy startled Goku and he partially covered his face to protect himself from the dust spun up from Gohan's energy.

"G-Gohan…?" He stuttered. "What are you doing?"

"I want you to fight me." The demi-saiyan's voice was low and held anger and contempt. He was on a mission to prove a point.

"Nani!"

"I want to prove to you that you don't have to run away from your family to train in order to be the best that there is." He let out another power surge that further disrupted the ground he was on. "I want to prove to you that I, along with the others, can take over your role as Earths protector without abandoning family or friends."

Gohan's power continued to steadily rise but what surprised Goku was that his son was not even breaking a sweat as he started to tap into his power. At that moment two things became very clear: Gohan had been training and he was also just warming up.

"I want you to fight me with everything you have so I can show you what it truly means to fight to protect the ones you love rather than to fight for the pleasure of a challenge."

He then halted his power increase and the area surrounding him began to settle.

"After everything you have done… you owe me this one thing." He concluded with a single tear making its way down his face.

It would be the last tear he shed that day…

… as he prepared to battle his father on the exact location where the Cell Games Arena once stood.


	37. Chapter 36: Choices

A/N: OK so here we go Chapter 36! This was an interesting chapter to write because after I finished it I determined that I am going to be able to finish the story by the next chapter! That's right, after almost 3 years everything will come to an end. To be honst I don't know when I will have a chance to write it since I plan on getting a second job for the holiday season but I will try my best to have it out within a month. I'm super excited to finish it and I thank all of you for your support over the years. I ask that you please favorite this story if you like it and also favorite/author alert me as an author because I have some short stories (such as one featuring Bulma and Yamcha) that I plan to write once I'm done with this. Speaking of which, if you haven't read my short story "The Last Diary Entry of Bulma Briefs" PLEASE do so. It takes place in the timeline where Cell killed Trunks and stole his time machine and discusses how Bulma moved on from that moment. I'd love to get some more hits and reviews on it.

Anyway, about this chapter… While reading some of the fight scenes you may want to think about the final fight in the Matrix Revolutions because I sort of used that as a muse, especially regarding how their fighting affects the falling precipitation. In addition keep in mind all of the training Goku has been doing with Uub and also why he has been training Uub. Enjoy!

**Chapter 36: Choices**

As Gohan and Goku stood there, snowflakes began to dance through the air, making their way delicately to ground. The cold air and the grey, overcast sky provided an adequate backdrop for the battle that was about to commence. It was a battle that had been a long time coming. Years of angst, frustration, and sorrow had culminated into this moment and Gohan felt as if he was finally going to get some type of closure with his father by showing him just how competent he was as a warrior – all while maintaining a family life.

There was only one small problem…

"Gohan… I don't want to fight you." Goku finally replied to his son's request.

It was certainly not the answer the demi-saiyan wanted to hear. But it wasn't unexpected.

Gohan shut his eyes as he grimaced from agitation at the audacity of his father. "I don't care if _you_ don't want to fight me! _I_ want you to fight me. I want to show you where you have been wrong all of these years."

The demi-saiyan was determined to best his father in battle. He would not let him continue this charade any longer. Being the son of Goku was like living in an abusive relationship. He said he loved you but then as soon as you put your trust in him he abandoned you. Eventually he would come back and lure you back into a false sense of security where you trusted him again, only to have the exact same thing happen. It was a vicious cycle that Gohan had dealt with all his life. But no more, he thought. His father's abuse on not just him, but everyone else, was going to stop. Today, things were going to finally come to an end!

"Then let us talk this out son." Goku pleaded.

"No!" Gohan quickly barked back. He wasn't falling for his father's tricks any more. Despite his simple nature, Goku had a way with words that attributed to his charm, which lead those around him into that false sense of security. "You never truly listen to those around you. This is the only way that I can show you once and for all that you are wrong, that your choices affect others and have consequences."

Gohan let out another burst of energy as his eyes gleamed with sheer determination.

Goku remained stoic in his stance but inside he was rife with struggle. This wasn't like any of their previous encounters. Gohan was in full control of his emotions and his power. He was serious, perhaps more serious than he had ever been with him. And deep within his eyes, Goku could see that determination within Gohan. He knew this wasn't something his son was willing to negotiate about. He was going to have to fight his son.

Goku's mind kept on racing as he continued to take in everything that Gohan had said, including his declaration of battle. Had his actions really lead to this? Had he really been so careless in his decisions that he had pushed his son to this point?

Sensing further hesitation in his father, Gohan decided to take a slightly different approach. His golden aura once again dissipated as he relaxed his body.

"Do you remember the first night you came back from training Uub? When you crashed my birthday party?"

"I never meant to-"

"DO YOU remember?" Gohan interrupted his father.

"… Yes… Yes I remember." Goku gulped.

"Then I'm sure you remember what happened after you barged in."

Goku remained silent. How could either of them forget?

"After announcing yourself nonchalantly, you had me so mad that I lost control of myself and punched you through the wall. Then I fled. I wanted to be as far away from you as possible. My anger towards you at that moment was unlike anything I had experienced in a long time… and because I had not kept up on my training as well as I should have, the result almost became catastrophic _(A/N: Chapter 9)_. Because in that moment of complete frustration I defied something that Rou Dai Kaioshin told me before I left to fight Buu."

The Saiyan's interest peaked.

"Do you remember how he told me that I would no longer need to become a Super Saiyan? He said that it would simply be a waste of energy."

Again, remaining silent, Goku nodded.

"Well, he was wrong. That night, I transformed into one and the power that took over me made it feel like I had transformed into a Super Saiyan for the first time. And it wasn't a waste of energy. On the contrary, my power spiked to dangerous levels that evening because of it.

To say this was a bit of a shock to Goku was an understatement. He remembered feeling Gohan's intense ki after he fled, but he had no idea it was because he had transformed for the first time in over 10 years. Based on what Rou Dai Kaioshin had said, he questioned if it was even possible.

"I don't know if he told me those things to keep me from unleashing a power that could have disastrous consequences or if he simply didn't know that my genetics would play such a large part in the outcome." Before his father could question what he meant, Gohan continued to elaborate. "Being part Saiyan has lead me to become more powerful than I ever would have been if I was completely Human but it has been my Human side which has driven my power beyond the limits. It took me awhile to realize it, but this hybrid mixture has caused me to be exceptionally powerful even at such a young age. Until I was older I would simply need a catalyst to unleash this power.

Goku's memories flashed back to the several instances of his son's sudden burst of power, from the time Gohan was in a run-away stroller, to the battle with Raditz, and so on. During those moments, more often then not, nobody could match Gohan's power. It wasn't until years later that he was able to control it to become the one of the most powerful fighters among them, and even then there was still evidence of higher levels of random bursts of energy.

"Your blood runs through my veins whether I like it or not." Gohan continued. "As half Saiyan, I deal with those feelings of wanting to fight. I understand the mind-set that you have often described about always wanting adventure because I have some of those same ones. But I have made a decision to find those adventures within my everyday life, with my family. I have found alternative outlets for all of my Saiyan 'urges' to bring myself to a nice medium between my Human side and my Saiyan side, without emotionally damaging those around me."

Immediately, Goku thought back to that night he visited Vegeta at Capsule Corp. The Saiyan Prince had mentioned the unstable life style his Saiyan counterpart was living. He also discussed the differences between Saiyans and Humans and how that played a role in both of their lives as they continued to live on, what was technically, an alien planet to them.

"Everything revolves around choice, and that is what has helped me obtain my stability. I have chosen to take control of my emotions and train not only my body, but my psyche as well. Vegeta chose to incorporate human life into his Saiyan life when he had a family with a Bulma. Your genes may contribute a great deal to your nature but in the end you always have choice. And this is why I am asking you to fight me right now. I have chosen to indulge this aspect of both my Saiyan side and my Human side in seeking vengeance for what you have done. I have chosen this because without it my point of stability would falter."

The snowfall began to steadily pick up as Goku took a moment to absorb everything his son had just said.

"But what happens if you experience something like what you did before, when you lost control that evening?" He was still trying to find a way out but realized that he was not succeeding.

"I had that reaction because I hadn't been training my mind. For the past several months I have made a conscious effort to correct this by training both my body and my mind all while spending time with my family. As it stands right now, I have much more control over my emotions and thus my transformation, but I still wouldn't use it since it might be too dangerous, not just for me, but also for my surrounding environment. All of this is what I want to show you. All of this is what I _need_ to show you; that I can manage training and having a family life, that due to my training I can control my power and emotions, and that I do not need to transform in order to reach a power level that will rival anything you have seen."

Staring intently into his son's eyes, Goku took a few deep breaths. The person before him was no longer his little boy but rather a strong and confident man. Gohan had spoken without fear or uncertainty in his voice and he had made his points strong. This gave the Saiyan little room to argue against the proposed match. It was clear that his son wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Goku closed his eyes as he took another moment to reflect on the conversations he had with Vegeta, Goten, Chi-Chi, and even Videl. So much had been said to him and yet he never seemed to heed the advice of others. If he had, he didn't think he would be in this situation right now. As those tireless discussions flooded through his mind, he began to finally see his mistakes.

Like Vegeta said, Goku had created instability in his life. He had constantly been running away from family problems either literally or figuratively. And now was the time to change that.

Despite that fact that he didn't _want_ to do it, he saw where going along with Gohan's proposal could be the end to his running away. And even if this fight didn't help him reach some stability right away, it could perhaps help Gohan reach some of his own.

Goku opened his eyes back up.

His son deserved that much.

"OK" He muttered. "I'll do it… I will fight you… on one condition. If I beat you, you will give me another chance."

Gohan's expression did not change. He really didn't know what was going to happen after the fight if he won but he had surmised his father would request as much if the battle went the other way. At least now his father was finally willing to fulfill his request so he thought he would indulge him.

"…Agreed."

With pride on the line for both parties both father and son had one thought on their mind.

"I will not lose!"

* * *

The silent winter air began to tremble ferociously.

"AHHHHHHHHH" Both Gohan and Goku grunted as they began to charge up their ki.

Despite their distance on the old battlegrounds, their auras met with a thunderous clash. The power from the impact created electric sparks that broke into the ground, shredding parts of the land around them. As Goku powered up to Super Saiyan 3 he released a shockwave of energy from his body that further exacerbated the electrical discharge between their auras. Shortly thereafter, the ground underneath both of them began to cave in under the enormity of the ki they were releasing.

The graudal snowfall was now turning to rain around them as their energy heated up the cold precipitation. For several meters the ground became wet with melted snow.

By now both of their power levels had reached the level of Kid Buu.

As the two continued to call forth the energy deep within them, they realized that they were starting to plateau, reaching their highest level they could at the moment. Without notice, they jumped back a few meters from their original position, their auras no longer violent bursts but rather concentrated within their bodies.

Taking a few deep breathes, the father and son stood there for a moment, watching each other.

Finally, it was Gohan who decided to make the first move.

After instantly disappearing, he came around to his father's side, striking at him towards the face.

Goku blocked it in the nick of time, but in doing so left his stomach open. Gohan quickly took the opportunity and swung his knee around, catching his father in the stomach. The force was strong enough that it sent Goku flying towards the base of a nearby cliff with Gohan in hot pursuit. However, just before crashing into the rock the Saiyan managed to regain his control and used a two-handed ki blast to propel himself up into the sky. Gohan adjusted his course as he followed his father.

From there the two engaged in mid-air battle, trading punches and kicks. Any impact, whether it was a block or a successful punch/kick, created a shockwave, disrupting the increasing snowfall for several meters around their bodies. It was a fight between two of the most powerful people on the planet (and quite possibly the universe) and thus every move held unimaginable force behind it.

Several minutes of close combat followed until Goku was able to grab hold of Gohan and toss him back towards the ground. The demi-sayain landed on one knee, creating a crater on the ground he had landed on. He charged up his fists, flung his hands into the air and started to barrage Goku with ki blasts. With expert precision the Saiyan was able to dodge each one. He looked down at his son who was wearing a smirk on his face with his arms still outstretched. Before he had time to react one of the ki blasts that he had dodged came back from behind him. This time he didn't have much time to dodge it so it skidded across his ribs, putting a nice hole in his shirt, before it exploded in front of him. The other ki blasts he had dodged were close behind, and although he successfully dodged most of them, a few hit him full force.

By the time the smoke cleared Goku was hovering in mid-air in a defensive stance with his legs curled up and his arms crossed in front. He opened his eyes to find an empty landscape.

Where was Gohan?

He was desperately looking around through the screen of white snow that was now coming down quite heavily.

"Where did he go?" He asked himself aloud.

"Behind you." A voice came from behind.

As soon as Goku turned around, Gohan had hit him with two fists clenched together, sending him hurtling diagonally towards the earth.

Goku skidded across the frozen land, leaving a nice trail of where he had been pulverized into the ground. He struggled to his feet while he saw Gohan slowly land several meters in front of him.

"You… You really have been training." Goku winced through his words with a slight smile. While he was certainly taking a beating, he couldn't help but feel somewhat proud of his son for the strength he was showing.

Gohan glared at him, wondering if his father was taking this fight as seriously as he was.

"But…" Goku continued as he wiped blood from his chin. "… you've left an opening…" He quickly leapt into the air towards Gohan who in turn shot another ki blast directly at him with his left hand.

The blast seemed to hit Goku but then went right through him as the after-image the Saiyan created dissolved in the air.

"…here!" Goku suddenly came up from Gohan's left side with his knee aiming for his son's ribs. But with incredibly speed Gohan brought his right hand around, catching his father's knee.

"An opening… Do I?" He asked a very surprised Goku. The speed at which Gohan blocked his kick was unlike anything he had ever seen. Gohan proceeded to elbow him in the face, once again sending him skidding across the snow filled ground.

This knock down took Goku significantly more time to recover from as he struggled to get to his feet quickly. The surprise counterattack from Gohan had left a nasty welt on his face that he held in pain. He glared angrily back at his son.

"This isn't good enough." Gohan told him as he took a few steps toward Goku. "You're not trying your best."

"Huh?" His father responded, a bit taken aback.

Gohan's eyes narrowed. "At the level you are fighting right now I'd say you match Uub's power, at least from what I could sense was in him. But we both know you are stronger than this."

Goku's eyes widened in shock. "How did he…?"

Gohan did not break his gaze with him.

"We both know you are much stronger than Uub by now!"

The snowfall increased in intensity… a blizzard was coming.


	38. Chapter 37: Fin Filial

A/N: So this is it! The last chapter! After 3 years the story comes to a close and I want to thank each and every one of you guys for reading. This fanfic has had 100,000 hits and over 500 reviews! It has been read in 140 countries/territories from Argentina to Zimbabwe and has been favorited over 200 times! So thank you so much for the support!

Before I start the story, I would like to address something that was mentioned in a review. Someone asked as to why the other Z warriors didn't sense Gohan and Goku's power level and come rushing to them, thinking they might just be in distress. The other warriors did sense the power levels of the two but everyone could immediately tell that it was just Gohan and Goku so they came to a quick conclusion as to what was going on. Instead of intervening everyone individually came to a consensus that this fight was a long time coming and that they should let the father son pair handle it the way they want to handle it. I realize this may sound like a weak excuse but after everything that has happened I just felt like everybody would want to let Goku and Gohan be.

After finishing the chapter please check out my A/N at the end for more stuff (but only after reading the chapter)!

**Chapter 37: Fin Filial**

Goku stared at his son through the white haze of snow. It was just as Gohan suggested; he had been holding back. The strange thing, however, was that he wasn't too sure as to why he was doing so. Perhaps a part of his subconscious was telling him not to unleash his full power since he was fighting with his son. Or maybe he didn't want to fight at a power he had little experience training with. Regardless of the reason, the truth was out now and it was clear that Gohan wouldn't accept a victory or defeat unless both parties were at their best.

He let out a heavy sigh. "How did you know? How did you know I had succeeded Uub in power?"

"When it comes to sensing ki, you and Piccolo trained me exceptionally well. I could sense the power within both you and Uub. I knew immediately that you had surpassed him long ago, just as he had surpassed Kid Buu."

There was a short pause.

"I'd ask why you were still training him if you had already exceeded him in power, but to be honest – I don't really care to hear the answer." Gohan said with a tinge of spite, but that tone quickly changed. "The only thing I want right now is for you to battle me at your full power; no reservations. The fact that all this has come to light makes me want to prove to you now, more than ever, that it is unnecessary for you to live this kind of life." He spoke with the same determination that he had when he proposed the fight earlier.

Goku breathed deeply before slowly widening his stance. Drawing his fists to his side, he began to tap into the energy deep within him. A yellow aura grew from his body like a fire before it transgressed to a glow that fully encompassed him. This was followed by the generation of strong force winds that created a large dome-like clearing, covering them both from the blizzard surrounding them.

Gohan watched, arms crossed. "As I've stated before, I would never ask this of a true enemy." He shouted over the sound of the intense wind. "I would not make the same mistakes that both of us have made in the past. If an enemy were to come to Earth I would take them down quickly with no hesitation. The only reason I'm asking you to power up is to show you that I can beat you, even at your best."

Focusing on his ki, Goku continued to manipulate the power within him, releasing forceful waves of energy into the air. It wasn't long before these waves provoked Gohan to move out of the way by floating high above the ground. Exiting the protective wind dome Goku had created, the young warrior felt the snow once again lay upon his skin.

It took a minute for the Saiyan's power up to be complete, but once it was done all of the light he was emitting appeared to be immediately sucked back into his body.

Gohan was impressed at the power being displayed. Since Goku had been suppressing his ki, he could only estimate as to just how powerful his father really was. Needless to say, that estimate had turned out to be a little bit lower than expected as Goku's powers exceeded Gohan's expectations. The demi-saiyan unfolded his arms as the wind generate by Goku ceased, which caused the snow to fall on the land as normal. This obscured his vision of the land below him with thick white flakes.

"Where did he go?" Gohan asked himself aloud. He could no longer spot his father amongst the haze; nor could he sense him. The raw power released by Goku during his charge up created a cloud of energy that made it impossible to pinpoint the Saiyan's location.

"A new technique?" He thought to himself.

He continued to desperately scan the landscape for signs of movement or sound. But the only thing around him was the cold winter silence.

For several seconds he hovered there… waiting.

Suddenly, Goku appeared out of the thick snowfall like a fish emerging from dark water. It caught Gohan by complete surprise, leaving him no time to block the elbow aimed for his face.

It was the first good hit Goku had gotten in during their fight and he quickly took advantage of it. As Gohan was sent flying upwards from the strike Goku hastily came around at his side, kicking his son in the ribs, changing the younger man's projection. With great speed, the Saiyan once again sped up to him. Using all of his force, he proceeded to knee Gohan in the back, sending the demi-saiyan rocketing skyward. The momentum was enough to send his son through the cloud line into the clear sky above (A/N: For imagery think about the Matrix Revolution when Neo and Trinity fly the ship above the artificial cloud line and see the real sun for the first time). Goku followed suit, planning an additional attack, but before he could land another hit, Gohan dodged out of the way and separated himself from a close proximity.

As Goku regained his balance from his missed attack Gohan took a second to catch his breath. As he did so, he held his ribs and wiped fresh blood from his mouth. The Saiyan hovered down to Gohan's level (about 50 meters above the cloud line), his new aura radiating energy.

"Better… than I thought." Gohan commented as he gasped for air. He then straightened his body, taking in a deep breath. His father's attack had knocked the wind out of him but they both knew it was going to take a lot more than that to beat him. After relaxing his body and catching his breath, he looked back at his opponent.

"I guess we can finally get started then." He said as he cracked his neck.

Goku let out a very slight smirk. "Warm up's over then?"

Gohan nodded. "Yes. And for what it's worth thank you…"

This sudden proclamation caught Goku by surprise.

"… for finally fighting at your true potential. I wouldn't want anything less."

Saying those words, 'thank you', felt odd for Gohan to say… almost as much as it was for Goku to hear.

The scene of the two, father and son, hovering above the clouds in the clear, crisp sky was almost poetic in a sense that, for a split second, everything seemed so serene. But neither of them could ignore the raging blizzard just below the surface. Despite the zen that both of them were feeling they knew the truth. They knew that this moment of peace could not last forever.

After several seconds, the two simultaneously vanished from their spots. Immediately afterwards the atmosphere was filled with the sounds of the two battling at incredible speed. Punches and kicks sent powerful shockwaves rupturing the otherwise calm sky.

The warm up was certainly over!

"HAA!" Gohan shouted as he shot a large and powerful, one handed ki beam. Goku, who had been charging upwards towards him, suddenly braced himself for the incoming attack. Holding out both hands he managed to catch the beam but not without being pushed back several meters. He finally managed to maintain his ground but he was struggling to deflect the beam.

Seizing the opportunity, Gohan powered up another ki attack using his spare hand and flung it outwards, curving towards Goku.

The blast made a direct hit with the Saiyan causing him to also lose control of the beam that he was trying to deflect. Both ki attacks made contact, resulting in a huge explosion.

As the smoke cleared Goku was revealed to be in a crouching, defensive stance. His shirt was shredded in the side from where the second ki attack had stuck him and the rest of his clothes were singed from the heat of the explosion. Blood dripped down his forearms from where he attempted to shield himself last minute.

"Damn." The Saiyan grunted under his breath. He winced slightly at the pain he was feeling. But before he had much time to recover Gohan came at him from the side, landing a kick on the same spot where his second ki blast had hit.

This incredibly painful attack sent him soaring through air with Gohan quickly behind. Goku knew he had to plan a counter attack quick, less he didn't want to be significantly more weakened from his son's assault. He therefore decided to rely on a technique he had not used in a long time; knowing Gohan would not expect it.

"KAI-O-KEN!" He shouted, turning his yellow aura red, and greatly increasing his speed and strength. He knew the limitations of his body would only provide him to use it for a brief moment, but that was all he needed.

Widening his eyes, Gohan quickly realized his father was about to turn the tables on him. Before the demi-saiyan could act defensively, Goku, who had moved at incredible speed to attack from under him, kneed him in the gut. The force sent him skyrocketing but his path was interrupted when Goku used his speed to attack him from up top, kicking him downwards back to the ground. Gohan flew with such force that once he broke the cloud line on his way down, creating a kilometer clearing amongst the clouds. By the time he reached the ground he managed to regain enough composure to land on his hands and knees. He made contact with the earth, creating a large crater with the force of impact. Immediately, he looked up at his father. As the clouds began to converge to fill up the hole he had created, he could see his father's silhouette against the afternoon sun. The red aura surrounding him was gone meaning that he had just used up a lot of energy on that attack and he was now weakened.

Jolting himself upwards, Gohan flew directly at his father, trying to get to him before the clouds finished converging (if he lost eye contact, then Goku could use that time to move and catch him in a surprise attack).

Realizing he was in a weakened state for the temporary moment, Goku quickly thought of his options. As Gohan charged upwards at him he noticed he was directly infront of the sun at that point.

That was it!

With the young warrior almost upon him, and the clouds close to converging, he put his hands to the side of his face to use yet another technique that he hadn't utilized in a long time.

"Taiyo-ken!"

And with that, a blinding flash of light was sent towards Gohan.

"AHHH!" The demi-saiyan yelled as he covered at his face.

"K-Kuso…"

While his son was incapacitated, Goku took the opportunity to attack. Using his instant transmission he teleported right behind Gohan and delivered a devastating sidekick that sent the younger warrior hurtling towards a mountainside.

As he crashed into the ice-covered rocks, Gohan knew that he was in trouble. He could sense Goku charging at him again. His father planned to take full advantage of his temporary blindness.

"Curse him!" The demi-saiyan thought to himself, as the pain from the Taiyo-ken still radiated through this eyes.

"Wait…"

He was coming to a quick realization. He could sense his father… he knew exactly where he was.

"Relax your mind Gohan." He told himself. "If you relax your mind and focus solely on his energy, then you can defend yourself against his attacks without your eyes."

The charging Saiyan struck out his fist, aimed for his son's face, when in the last second Gohan threw up his hand to catch it.

"Huh!" Goku let out, surprised at Gohan's recovery from the Taiyo-ken. But upon a closer look he saw that his son's eyes were shut and still twitching from the assault they were just given. Swinging his other fist around he attempted a second shot, but it as was quickly blocked as well. Freeing his fists from Gohan's grasp, he attempted to deal one punch and kick after another… but without success.

The onslaught caused Gohan to back up, deeper into the mountain. The rough rock was constantly shattering upon contact with his back but the entire time he managed to block all of the attacks while remaining blinded. The fight continued to until the two fought their way out from the other side of the mountain.

Once back in the air, Gohan lost his footing and just barely dodged out of the way from a heavy punch aimed towards his chest. He decided to go on the offensive and released a surge of ki, which created a shockwave, ejecting Goku away. The Saiyan was projected at an angle perpendicular from the mountain they had just fought through, into another mountain 300 meters away. It crumbled on top of himm giving Gohan the time for his vision to be restored.

A few seconds went by before the effects of the Taiyo-ken wore off. By that time, all the rocks from where Goku had crashed, settled. Gohan caught his breath while he waited for his father to emerge. His back was raw from being grinded against the rock and every flake of snow that hit it caused a stinging sensation.

Suddenly, golden light began to emerge from underneath the boulders from where Goku was. The light increased in intensity until, finally, the residue of the mountain scattered in all directions revealing the Saiyan in the center.

Gohan managed to protect himself from the boulders he was in the way of by using a simple ki shield. It wasn't until all the rocks had cleared his path that he made a direct beeline for his father.

The two engaged in hand-to-hand combat again, causing massive destruction to the land underneath them.

After another 30 minutes of non-stop combat, the strain was starting to get to both of the warriors as their attacks became slower and sloppier. However, the stress of battle appeared to be affecting Goku more than his son, …and both parties knew this. Defeat seemed imminent but Goku knew he had one more card up his sleeve.

It was his signature attack…

… the Kamehameha!

* * *

After constant fighting, the two distanced themselves for a break.

They stood approximately 20 meters apart from each other on the rugged terrain that had served as their battlefield, soaked in sweat and blood. The snow was letting up, giving them a clearer view of each other.

Goku stood up straight.

"You've done well Gohan." He shouted so that his son could hear him. "You've done very well."

Gohan narrowed his eyes. Was his father patronizing him?

"But it's time to end this." Goku finished, before taking his iconic stance to prep his final attack. Cupping both of his hands he slowly placed them to his side as he concentrated all the energy he had left in his body.

"KA…"

Gohan's eyes widened.

His father wasn't kidding.

Goku was quickly draining his body of almost all of it's energy and placing it into this attack. It was certainly a risk but then again, this was really the only option his father had left. Had they continued hand-to-hand combat the young warrior would have been the clear winner based on stamina alone. This was Goku's last resort.

"ME…"

Gohan flashed back to his battle with Cell almost 20 years ago, when the Android started his final Kamehameha. The demi-saiyan was weakened from battle, just like he was now, and the only way to save the planet was to counter with his own Kamehameha.

Bringing himself back to the present day Gohan fathomed that history would be repeating itself, albeit with some changes. The earth wasn't in danger from Goku and even with both of their powers combined one would be unable to kill the other. Still, it remained appropriate that Gohan counter with an attack of his own, rather than attempt to dodge it (which would have been a challenge itself given Goku's expertise). This time, however, he would not be able to pit his Kamehameha against his opponent's. Even though he had more energy left, Goku's Kamehameha was far more advanced. He had his own developed move but he didn't know if it would be enough. It seemed like a 50/50 shot. A day's worth of battling had come down to this one moment.

Placing both of his hands, palm open (facing outwards), together on his forehead, Gohan began his own chant.

"MA…"

"HA…" Goku continued

"SEN…"

"ME…"

"KO…"

"HA!" They both yelled simultaneously, unleashing their tremendous attacks at each other.

The impact of the beams created a powerful wave of force that leveled the area in between them. Each stood their ground as the strength from their attacks changed the surrounding landscape. With such an awesome display of power, both of them knew the fight would be finished after this.

From the start, their powers seemed to be matched, as neither side appeared to waver. In an effort to gain a quick upper hand, Goku pushed forth a small amount of extra energy. He could immediately feel the drain it put on his body but it was worth it. The collision line of the beams slowly started to make their way towards Gohan.

"Kuso!" The demi-saiyan swore under his breath.

Forcing more power into his attack to counter act the gain his father had made, Gohan's body was draining itself at a rate now faster then Goku and, while the collision was now heading for the Saiyan, it was traveling at a painstakingly slow rate.

It took Goku 5 minutes to even realize that Gohan's Masenko was, slowly but surely, overpowering his Kamehameha. Despite it's weak approach, the only thing that mattered was if it came into contact with him. He had very little power left and his stamina was very low. Even if he somehow managed to hold his own, he estimated he would lose the battle within the next half hour with the extra power Gohan had put in.

Sweating profusely, Goku knew he had to act. Channeling the very last bit of his energy he added more fuel to his Kamahameha. That provided enough power to switch the direction back towards his son.

Gohan felt the added energy that Goku had just delivered into his attack and he knew at that moment things were not looking good for him. It was taking everything he had to hold off the Kamehameha. He had barely enough energy to counter the extra push his father had given but even then it would simply produce a stalemate; the two ki attacks would not move in either direction. In addition, he could sense that the two had about the same amount of energy left meaning the stalemate in ki attacks would lead to a stalemate in the battle as a whole and he was not about to let that happen.

Power alone would not win the battle; it was going to take wit and talent… but how exactly was not yet determined. Gohan began to contemplate his options as the Kamehameha inched towards him. He thought about abandoning the attack altogether to fly around and catch his father off guard with hand-to-hand combat. He looked up just to see how far their attacks stretched from the radius. "No." He told himself. "The circumference is too large. I wouldn't be able to fly out of the way fast enough."

The Kamehameha was now 3/4ths of the way to him and he was quickly running out of time. Victory seemed imminent for Goku.

"Damnit!" Gohan swore again. This seemed like the battle with Cell all over again except this time he didn't have anyone to aid him in defeating his opponent by distracting them…

And that's when it came to him… an idea!

"That's it!" He exclaimed. "But do I have enough time?" His plan was going to take away some of his power momentarily. In doing so the Kamehama was going to approach him at a much faster rate and he ran the risk of being hit by it before he could perform his alternate attack.

Gohan's mind raced as he tried to estimate if his plan would work. In a split second, however, he decided that thinking about it was only wasting more time and he had to go for it. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate. As he did so, his Masenko began to lose some it's power, making Goku's Kamehameha advance on him.

With intense concentration Gohan located the exact point as to where his father was standing, which was a lot easier said then done given the amount of energy surrounding them. Once he had Goku's exact position he focused on surrounding environment.

"Pick one too small," He thought to himself. "and you could miss him. Pick on too large and take away too much energy from keeping the Kamehameha from hitting you."

Hmmmm. "… That one."

Suddenly, behind Goku, a boulder shifted from the pile of rubble from the mountain e had crashed into before.

"Come on." Gohan thought as he sensed the Kamehameha getting dangerously close to him.

"Almost there." Goku thought at the same time. While he was oblivious as to what was going on behind him, his attack was about to hit its target.

With a little more effort, Gohan was able to withdraw the half a meter long boulder from amongst the rubble and have it floating, stationary, in the air. But by now Goku's attack was only 2 meters away from him.

"This is it!" They both thought it unison.

As Goku prepared for the resulting (non-lethal) explosion his Kamehameha was about to make, Gohan (using his telekinesis) flung the boulder towards his father.

Time seemed to slow down as Gohan contemplated which attack would hit first; his father's Kamehameha or his own telekinesis trick.

He felt the Kamehameha literally only inches away from him. Goku could feel it as well, but there was something else he felt… the harsh, jagged edge of a rock hitting the back of his head.

The blow caused him to immediately lose complete control of his Kamehameha and also served to knock him head first into the oncoming Masenko attack, which now had nothing blocking its path.

The explosion ripped through the sky and decimated the surrounding landscape. Goku had been hit full on by the blast.

* * *

With the settling dust Goku found himself laying amongst a pile of rubble, beaten. His hair back to its original color, he could no longer manage his Super Saiyan form.

Wincing from the pain he was in, he coughed as the dust around him continued to clear. His son's attack had hit him full on. It was a devastating blow that had him bloodied and incapacitated. He could barely move a muscle let alone continue to fight.

There was no denying it.

He had lost.

Goku slowly opened his eyes as he continued gasping for air after the tremendous attack. He looked around him for signs of his son, but there was none.

"Gohan…" He whispered before struggling to sit up on the back of his forearms.

"Gohan!" He yelled out this time. But all he could see was the falling snow around him; remnants the ferocious blizzard.

No answer… there was only silence.

.

.

Instantly, Gohan appeared right over him, grabbing a small part of his shirt that wasn't already shredded. His son was bloodied from the battle but showed incredible signs of energy. The demi-saiyan had his other hand drawn back with his fingers pointed, almost as if he was about to give a death blow. But the most surprising and disturbing thing about seeing his son over him was the look in his eyes. They were cold, emotionless… they were his warrior eyes; fighting until the very end.

"G-GOHAN!" Goku shouted in a panic.

He shut his eyes as Gohan thrust his fist forward.

He heard a loud crashing sound.

After a brief moment, Goku realized that he had not been struck. Slowly opening his eyes he found Gohan's fist to be mere centimeters away from his head, bedded deep into the rock underneath him.

Staring wide eyed, his focus shifted to his son's face.

Gohan's expression had gone unchanged.

"You lose." The demi-saiyan declared, calmly yet sternly.

Without quite knowing how to respond, Goku nodded. He admitted his defeat.

* * *

Clearing away some rubble, Gohan helped to prop his father up in a more comfortable sitting position.

"Thank you." He spoke. "Thank you for letting me prove you wrong."

Goku remained silent. He was still trying catching his breath.

Gohan sighed as he leaned against the rock next to his father.

"I never understood why you put training ahead of your family. You claimed it was to protect us but you never considered the consequences it would have; the emotional strife it would put us through. Out of all my battles, the most painful experiences I've ever had were from when you left us. And you never seemed to seek any alternative. It was like it was either one way or the other. But today I've shown you that you can have it both ways. It's possible to adequately train while maintaining a family life. In fact devoting time with my family is what has made me stronger. Simply by being with them I realize just how precious they are. Every second I spend with them motivates me more and more to be the best fighter I can be, something I couldn't achieve by training alone. Instead I've found a balance… fulfilling both my roles as a fighter and as a father. That is why I will continue to train. I will continue to get stronger. That way if Earth is ever threatened again I will be there to defend the ones I love. Because if you have learned anything from this experience, be it this… There is nothing my important to me than Videl and my children and I will do everything in my power to protect them."

The demi-saiyan stood up, brushing dust off of his tattered clothes. He gazed at the sun, starting its descent against the late afternoon sky. The snow was clearing up, just a few flurries here and there.

He sighed turning back to his father.

"I suggest you stop your training with Uub and go home to be there for them. You no longer have a reason to keep training at the intensity you have been. While you may have experience your stamina has suffered because of your age. It showed at several points in this battle. Let me, and the others, carry on the torch as Earth's protector."

Gohan then dug into a pocket in his shirt to retrieve a small brown pouch. He opened it and poured the two senzu seeds it contained, onto his hand. After taking one, healing his wounds and replenishing his energy, he flicked the other seed onto his father's lap.

"I can't forgive you for everything you have done but it may not be too late for you to have a relationship with mom and with Goten. They want someone who will be there for them; someone they can rely on. They deserve that much." He turned his back towards him ready to set off in flight. Before doing he turned his head back one last time. "Go home Goku… and take care of your family…"

He turned his head back to face the horizon.

"… for once."

The demi-saiyan proceeded to fly off into the sky…

…leaving his father behind.

* * *

From that point on things changed. Gohan no longer dwelled on his past. The angst and pain he had felt from hid childhood had been expelled during the fight with his father; a type of resolution for all those years of suffering. He had said what needed to be said and done what needed to be done. From then on he was no longer inhibited, except for one detail…

Likewise, things changed for Goku as he took his son's advice. He halted his training with Uub, for whom he could teach nothing more, and dedicated his time to his family and friends. He would still train but it wouldn't be as severe as it had been in the past and it was always with Goten and/or Vegeta and Trunks. No matter what, at the end of every day, he would end up home. He soon realized it was were he belonged and he was actually happier for it. He was finally with his family, except for one detail.

That 'one detail' for both of the men, was that the day of the fight was last time they ever saw each other.

Each would continue to live their own lives but they were indeed separate lives to be lived. It was something Gohan wanted because no matter what happened, he no longer trusted his father.

Because sometimes time doesn't heal all wounds… because sometimes there can simply be…

…no more forgiveness.

The End

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A/N: The reason I wrote this story was because I wanted to provide a different take on Gohan and Goku's relationship. I wanted to analyze it from a standpoint of rejection and abandonment, which I believe is more realistic than 'Oh, that's just how Goku is', which is taken on by a lot of people in the DBZ universe. And I chose this ending, which I had planned out from the very beginning, because I wanted to make a point that not all stories (fiction or non-fiction) end happily ever after. While I certainly believe that family members should try to work things out to the best of their ability, the reality is - sometimes that's not possible. Sometimes, if a situation is severe enough, that there can be no more forgiveness. That's life. And occasionally, life can be a tragedy. Not everything is going to be perfect. We have to work hard to maintain relationships, to show people that we really care for them. Family members are meant to be there for one another, not abandon each other in times of need. These are the messages I was trying to convey in this story.

Now that that is out of the way let me thank everyone again for their support. I hope you enjoyed the ending, even if it's not what you expected. If you want to ask me questions about the story I will be doing an IAMA on the website Reddit next weekend (Most likely Saturday around 6pm EST). The title should be 'IAMA fanfiction writer TheMaskedOtaku. AMA'. All of that basically translating to 'I am a fanfiction writer TheMaskedOtaku. Ask me anything.' This is just to serve as a fun Q&A where you can ask me anything about my story and the process of writing it. If you can't find the topic when I make it, look for it under my Reddit username, which is also TheMaskedOtaku.

Finally, before I go I just want to mention to keep an eye out for some one-shots and short stories that will probably be coming out soon. I have a few ideas in my head that are pretty developed and I just need to get them on paper.

Thank you!


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